2006 25-Man Roster

[Guest KC]

I guess, or for some it's fun bugging you to update it.

[Guest Edgy DC]

A song is forming in my head

I do have a girlfriend. She just lives in North Carolina.
I think I'll take a trip down there. It's time I went to fin' her.
Maybe in the Piedmont. It's an awfully spacious state.
Where Raleigh lost his colony. I fear I'll share his fate.

Well, that sucks.

[Guest mlbaseballtalk]

Edgy DC wrote: Yeah, I'm waiting on confirmation and finalization. Too much coding to backtrack. I think the Tommie Agee slot has to go to a guy with mad gamebreaking fence-busting athletic skilz. In my imagination, it was established in upon Agee's death in the 2001 offesason, and was held by Jay Payton until he was dealt at the end of 2002, but the chair remained sketchily filled until the Cameron acquisition. It seems like it should go primarily to centerfielders, but Cammie retained it in his shift to right because it would have been unseemly otherwis On the notion that it must be perpetually filled, it was given to Jeromy Burnitz at the end of 2002 and passed on to Tsuyoshi Shinjo upon Burnitz's dealing in 2003. Cammie has restored the shining brilliance of of the honor.

Just for the sheer hell of it, the Tug slot:

Naturally the guy wearing Tug's old number is the first holder, Johnny B. Goode Franco. You know, this years pen corps is pretty bland, even though he isn't a reliever (though I can see the thought down the road during the last year of the deal making him a closer if he seems to be wearing down) I'd say Pedro "held" it before Takatsu.

In fact, maybe we should change it to Memorial Goofy Pitcher Roster Slot and give it to the rightfull holder, Pedro Martinez! I mean Tug did start his career as a starter!

=

Steve

[Guest Edgy DC]

I think goofy reliever is the more compelling (and particular) tradition --- McDowell, Wendell, Myers, Kook. It's a good tradition with a lot of pedigree (as shown) even before the passing of Tug.

I think Koo carried the imaginary banner for 2005 until Takatsu stepped in.

[Valadius]

Um... shouldn't Petit be removed from the 40?

[Guest Edgy DC]

Yeah, I guess. Done.

[Valadius]

Check it out! Delgado's got his Mets cap on.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

I was thinking maybe his goatee would also disappear.

[MFS62]

Johnny Dickshot wrote: I was thinking maybe his goatee would also disappear.

Not until Tyler Yates' face hair has to go.

Later

[Valadius]

Add Julian Jawann Redman to the mix... as well as Billy Wagner.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Kid, take it easy on the drugs.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Signed		Demoted
Relief Pitchers	Outfiders	Relief Pitchers	Infielders
Wagner	Redman	Hamulack	A. Hernandez

OK, whoever thought that by by opening up talks with wayward relievers was somehow distracting the Mets braintrust from moving on more important stuff was dead wrong. Today the Mets introduced an All-Star slugging firstbaseman, signed an All-Star reliever, and added a reserve outfielder as a side dish. This looks like it packs the 40 for now, so any subsequent acquisitions may or may not include subtracting the excess starting pitching.

A Met day that may well long be talked about, one way or another.

I'm assuming a paper demotion of Hernandez over Keppinger for the time-being as Keppinger has had more big-league experience and success. Obviously, Hernandez's greater versatility will provide him an edge of his own. We'll see how it shakes out.

Also to be seen is how well they can photoshop the Mets insignia onto Redman's squashed cap. Will they foreshorten the insignia or expand the peak?

Starting Pitchers
Benson	Glavine	Martinez	Seo	Trachsel
Relief Pitchers
Bell	Heilman	Ishii (Option Bought Out)	Padilla	Takatsu Tug McGraw Memorial Goofy Reliever Roster Slot
Relief Pitchers		Catchers		Infielders
Wagner	Zambrano	Castro	Hietpas (Currently Not on 40- Man Roster)	Delgado Donn Clendenon Memorial Slugging Firstbaseman Roster Slot

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

Damn, I'm lovin' this off season thus far. I wonder what Omar has in store for Mets fans for Christmas and Hanukkah.

[DocTee]

Knowing Omar, he'll make us wait until Three Kings Day.

[Elster88]

]A Met day that may well long be talked about, one way or another.

"This will be a day long remembered. It has seen the end of Mientikiewicz, and will soon see the end of our bullpen woes."

I like movie quote parodies better because I don't have much ability with lyrics. Not that the above is anything special, but I'm tired and ready for bed.

[Valadius]

Looking at Met transactions, it actually appears that Shingo Takatsu is also a free agent.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Is that so? That's pretty exceptional --- even for a Japanese veteran --- that he's been granted eligibility after only two seasons.

Hey, look, they switched Wagner's photo and used a shot from today in his blue cap.

[Frayed Knot]

Well if he is a FA it was almost certainly because the team cut him loose, not because of some pre-arranged sped-up time limit.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Released	Promoted
Relief Pitchers	Relief Pitchers
Takatsu	Fortunato

Well, neither he nor Ishii are listed on the oft-deceptive roster at mets.com. But reports of the Mets passing on Ishii's option did clarify that they controlled his rights. At any rate, I did find a note about Takatsu filing for free agency. So we move on. And suddenly the Mets relief corps is looking a little thin. Welcome back to the bigs, um, Bartolome Fortunato.

This has greater implications, as Wagner inherits the McGraw slot. Yeah, he's dry, but he's short, he's a lefty, he raises llamas, and he's the closer. And his dryness can be funny, too, if you let it.

Starting Pitchers
Benson	Glavine	Martinez	Seo	Trachsel
Relief Pitchers
Bell	Fortunato	Heilman	Ishii (Option Bought Out)	Padilla
Relief Pitchers		Catchers		Infielders
Wagner Tug McGraw Memorial Goofy Reliever Roster Slot	Zambrano	Castro	Hietpas (Currently Not on 40- Man Roster)	Delgado Donn Clendenon Memorial Slugging Firstbaseman Roster Slot

[Guest Edgy DC]

Signed	Demoted
Catchers	Catchers
Lo Duca	Hietpas

Well, we have us a catcher.

Here's to Mike Piazza, folks.

Not like anybody expected to break camp with Castro and Hietpas the most experienced catchers in the system.

Somebody at mlb.com has got to change some caps.

Starting Pitchers
Benson	Glavine	Martinez	Seo	Trachsel
Relief Pitchers
Bell	Fortunato	Heilman	Ishii (Option Bought Out)	Padilla
Relief Pitchers		Catchers		Infielders
Wagner Tug McGraw Memorial Goofy Reliever Roster Slot	Zambrano	Castro	Lo Duca	Delgado Donn Clendenon Memorial Slugging Firstbaseman Roster Slot

[Valadius]

For all interested parties, Paul Lo Duca's Mets-cap photo is up.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Redman and Perisho remain in the theoretical space formerly known as Limbo.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Released	Promoted
Relief Pitchers	Relief Pitchers
Ishii	Hamulack

I've reviewed reports from mid-Novmeber, and, desptie the ambiguity, I've concluded that we have to currently consider Ishii a free agent.

I guess I'm the last one who didn't already.

With Hamulack, Ring, and McGinley the only bullpen lefties after Wagner, I imagine they'll come home from Dallas with a southpaw.

Starting Pitchers
Benson	Glavine	Martinez	Seo	Trachsel
Relief Pitchers
Bell	Fortunato	Hamulack	Heilman	Padilla
Relief Pitchers		Catchers		Infielders
Wagner Tug McGraw Memorial Goofy Reliever Roster Slot	Zambrano	Castro	Lo Duca	Delgado Donn Clendenon Memorial Slugging Firstbaseman Roster Slot

[Guest Edgy DC]

Signed

Infielders

Valentin

I'm not going to add Valentin to the expected roster just yet, as he's not on the 40 and still has to show something, but obviously his signing means bad news for Anderson Hernandez and Jeff Keppinger, as Valentin enters into a competition with the two of them for one spot, and he doesn't have options.

It's also conceivable that Woodward's spot isn't guaranteed etiher.

Starting Pitchers
Benson	Glavine	Martinez	Seo	Trachsel
Relief Pitchers
Bell	Fortunato	Hamulack	Heilman	Padilla
Relief Pitchers		Catchers		Infielders
Wagner Tug McGraw Memorial Goofy Reliever Roster Slot	Zambrano	Castro	Lo Duca	Delgado Donn Clendenon Memorial Slugging Firstbaseman Roster Slot

[Guest OlerudOwned]

I dont know all the specific Rule V details, but I'd imagine Mitch Wylie will be on the roster soon. Here's a picture for when you need it.

[Frayed Knot]

By definition a Rule 5 guy is automatically on not only the 40 but on the 25-man also.
If he is removed from the 25 at any time during this season he has to be offered back to the Giants for half the price we paid for him (50K I believe).
Dem's da roolz.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Signed

Relief Pitchers

Wylie

Nonetheless, I'm not going to put him on the projected 25 until he shows in camp that he's worth keeping.

Starting Pitchers
Benson	Glavine	Martinez	Seo	Trachsel
Relief Pitchers
Bell	Fortunato	Hamulack	Heilman	Padilla
Relief Pitchers		Catchers		Infielders
Wagner Tug McGraw Memorial Goofy Reliever Roster Slot	Zambrano	Castro	Lo Duca	Delgado Donn Clendenon Memorial Slugging Firstbaseman Roster Slot

[Valadius]

Time to add Father Time, Julio Franco. And have fun in Pittsburgh, Roberto Hernandez.

[Guest Edgy DC]

You so harsh my mellow.

The Mets haven't added him yet. You can't keep a vet signed to a mult-year guarantee off the roster, can you?

[Guest Edgy DC]

Signed by Mets	Demoted	Mysteriously Removed from Roster	Mysteriously Re-Added to Roster	Signed Away by Pittsburgh
Infielders	Infielders	Starting Pitchers	Infielders	Relief Pitchers
Franco	Keppinger	Keppel	Self	Hernandez

OK, Franco is on the roster is on the roster and almost certain to open the season as a Met. So it looks like there'll be no room for a potential battle betwen Keppinger and Hernandez for a roster spot. In fact the only battle right now looks to be between Jose Valentin and Tike Redman. If Valentin wins (and he looks to have the upper hand as soon as he shows that seems healthy), the Mets will be carrying only four outfielders... again. And I don't like that.

Damn veterans and their guaranteed salaries ruin the jockying of spring training.

Oh, well, the pitching staff is far from set.

The stupid-ass Mets/MLB site is driving me crazy, because they also put Concepcion back on the roster which is contrary to reports and also have Valentin there, who was reported to have been signed to a minor-league dealie. Even if both designations were true, that would give the Mets 42 guys on their 40-man roster. I'm going to assume both designations are false for now. I should probably consider the Self/Keppel exchange to be wrong, but I already pasted them in.

I miss Gold Glove and his MLB roster site.

Starting Pitchers
Benson	Glavine	Martinez	Seo	Trachsel
Relief Pitchers
Bell	Fortunato	Hamulack	Heilman	Padilla
Relief Pitchers		Catchers		Infielders
Wagner Tug McGraw Memorial Goofy Reliever Roster Slot	Zambrano	Castro	Lo Duca	Delgado Donn Clendenon Memorial Slugging Firstbaseman Roster Slot