Roberto Hernandez declined arb.

[Mex17]

Don't look now, but the Mets have a problem in the bullpen.

IMO, retaining Robo would have put a cap on a nice offseason. The way I see it now, however, they are gonna have a tough time getting the ball to Wagner some nights unless Omar can figure something out.

[seawolf17]

Seeya, Bert. Thanks for the memories, and I hope you enjoy your 5.48 ERA in 2006 somewhere else in the NL East.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

This message makes it sounds like the Mets offered & he didn;t accept. The Mets didn't offer.

[Elster88]

Hey Mex. Post in an existing thread.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Too bad. Yankees maybe.

[metirish]

Looks like they tried to sign him...from Newsday..

] Piazza's departure was expected but Hernandez's leaving was a bit of a surprise. Because of the escalating market for relief pitchers, they were unable to sign Hernandez by Wednesday's midnight deadline . . .

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

The Mets historically have hated going to arbitration. I thought they would have done an agree-to-decline thingy and work out a deal with Berto later, but I guess they didn't.

Too bad for Hernandez really, who seemed to be comfortable and successful here, and in some ways a relief for me, since I can't believe he's remain as successful as time marches on.

However, they'll have to move to replace him now.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

I'm getting the sense that the replacement for Hernandez will come via a Kris Benson deal.

[smg58]

It's not that great of a loss if they keep Heilman. I'm OK with Padilla as well. Bell and Ring have the talent, but still haven't translated that into consistent performance. I wouldn't panic here; it's still early.

[Guest GYC]

I'll look for it, but I read somewhere that he wanted 2 years guaranteed and the Mets wouldn't budge.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Post sez the MFYs will look at him. Also, they signed Mike Myers.

[Frayed Knot]

Robo spurns Yanx and inks a [u:e76a9ba5f6] one-year deal[/u:e76a9ba5f6] with Pittsburgh.
Didn't hear the details.

[Guest GYC]

Frayed Knot wrote: one-year deal

Might be because the Pirates may give him a shot to close.

[Guest heep]

I think the replacement will come via free agency.

Dotel is a smart move. We would be taking a chance, but Dotel is/was very effective as a set-up, and it could pay off this summer when he comes back. Sometimes guys come back from Tommy John and throw harder. (Lets hope that is the case with Humber).

Anyway, you can never have too many arms, and, if the deal is worked out efficiently, I don't see why Omar has not signed him already.

PS - what is the deal with Pelfrey?

[MFS62]

I'm guessing some of that money Omar is reportedly trying to save by moving some players is to have enough to enter into serious negotiations with (Pelfrey's) Agent Orange Scott Boras.
After all the articles about his giving up lots of the best Mets pitching prospects in deals so far, Omar would look like the south end of a horse heading north if he couldn't get Pelfrey signed in time and lose him to the next draft.

Later

[Guest heep]

I cannot conceive how they have not signed Pelfrey already. This kid is projected as a future ace, why not sign him as soon as possible, and send him down to the Dominican League to face some pro comp?

Or is Boras just being a ball breaker?

Explanation?

[Valadius]

Boras is always a ball breaker.

[Guest Edgy DC]

]I cannot conceive...

This is just history repeating itself, as Humber was last year. A batch of similar pitchers or batters drafted about the same level all hold out because none of their agents wants to be the one who sets the market too low.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Last year, Humber signed on January 11th. Jeff Neimann signed on January 20th.

The Orioles, on the other hand, waited too long and fumbled away Wade Townsend because of a strange technicality ending his signing eligibility when neither he nor they had wanted to quit negotiating.

The Indians were able to sign Jeremy Sowers right away. Justin Verlander signed with the Tigers in the fall. Thomas Diamond also.

Jered Weaver, on the other hand, waited until the last possible moment to sign with Houston. Two other things are at work.

(1) Players who've completed their college eligibility (particularly pitchers) are most likely to hold out, because, not having an oppotunity to go back to school, holding out is their only leverage. The teams know the other players don't have to sign. Seniors have to prove it. This is less true of college batters, because they often are behind in their development and have to get started on their pro career quickly to catch up to players who've been in the minors playing 100+ games with wooden bats since they were teenagers.

(2) Once the minor league season is ended in the fall, negotiations lag, because players have no motivation to get signed immediately, and teams have other business to attend to. And, as stated above, no prospect wants to be the one who blinks and jumps at the money first, only to see his peers get more by holding out.

[Valadius]

It's funny how the Pirates let one guy with 324 career saves (Mesa) go, then go and get another guy with 324 saves (Hernandez).

[Guest Edgy DC]

Hernandez signed for approximately three mills. The Yanks passed on that money.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Has this signing been officially announced yet? Or is it just a secret that everybody knows?

[Guest Edgy DC]

Still unofficial.