Tough, not Tender

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

All nontendered guys, according to the Internet:

STARTERS
----------------------------
RHP Kurt Ainsworth (BAL)
RHP Cha Seung Baek (SEA)
RHP Dewon Brazelton (SD)
RHP Josh Fogg (PIT)
RHP Ryan Franklin (SEA)
RHP Wade Miller (BOS)
RHP Wes Obermueller (ATL)
RHP Ramon Ortiz (CIN)


RELIEVERS
----------------------------
RHP Jose Acevedo (COL)
RHP Jon Adkins (CHW)
RHP Grant Balfour (MIN)
RHP Jeff Bennett (MIL)
RHP Chad Bradford (BOS)
RHP Joe Borowski (TB)
LHP Craig Breslow (SD)
RHP Jim Brower (ATL)
RHP Shawn Camp (KC)
RHP Felix Diaz (CHW)
RHP Jose Diaz (CLE)
LHP Wayne Franklin (NYY)
RHP Dan Kolb (MIL)
RHP Mike Lincoln (STL)
LHP Trever Miller (TB)
RHP Nick Reglio (TEX)
RHP Eddy Rodriguez (BAL)
RHP Joe Valentine (CIN)
RHP Tyler Yates (NYM)


CATCHERS
----------------------------
Mike Mahoney (STL)
Miguel Olivo (SD)
Jason Phillips (LAD)
Mike Rose (TB)


FIRST BASEMEN
----------------------------
Ken Harvey (KC)
Brian Myrow (LAD)


SECOND BASEMEN
----------------------------
Willie Harris (CHW)
Bo Hart (STL)
Junior Spivey (WAS)


THIRD BASEMEN
----------------------------
Joe Dillon (FLA)
Scott Seabol (STL)
Rick Short (WAS)


OUTFIELDERS
----------------------------
Hiram Bocachica (OAK)
Eric Byrnes (BAL)
Endy Chavez (PHI)
Mike Edwards (LAD)
Alex Escobar (WAS)
Wayne Lydon (NYM)
Timo Perez (CHW)
Ryan Spilborghs (COL)
Jamal Strong (SEA)

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

A few ex-Mets: Timo Perez, Jason Phillips, Alex Escobar. (Remember whe he was "can't miss"?) And Eric Byrnes was a rumored-to-be Met. I don't remember the details: Wasn't it Cameron to Oakland for Byrnes last winter?

[smg58]

Lots of ex-Mets. So I guess Phillips for Ishii was a wash?

Wade Miller gets non-tendered two years in a row. He still might be a good cheap gamble for somebody, if his arm is in better shape than it was last year.

Weren't Obermeuller and Kolb just traded for each other? And wasn't Eric Byrnes an in-demand player at last year's deadline?

[Guest Edgy DC]

Weren't the gorgeous locks of Eric Byrnes supposed to be coming to the Mets in exchange for Mike Cameron last season, before he went .226 -.294 - .371 in 2005? Glad we dodged the bullet. Hope Nady isn't the next bullet in that gun.

So, here's a good prediction contest. Which one of these cut-rate ponies do you back for the most win shares in 2006?

[smg58]

Hmm. Will any of these guys get 5? Wade Miller or Joe Borowski if they regain their health, but otherwise there's not much to work with here.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Gun to your head, smiggy.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

I could see us taking a chance on The Creature aka Bradford.

Ainsworth was pretty well regarded at one time -- supposed to be a future stud in the Ponson trade and a former 1st rounder.

Trever Miller -- LHP with ERA+ 102, 143, 106 for last 3 years. A little wild.

Jose Diaz -- 10+ K/9, only 23, but lotsa walks too

[seawolf17]

I'd throw minor-league deals at Ainsworth and Bradford and see if they can stick. Both coming off injuries, but for an invite to camp, I'd do it.

Funny: Kolb was NT by Milwaukee, and Obermuller was NT by the Braves. What the hell was the point of that trade?

[Guest Edgy DC]

Josh Fogg got old young, but he could find a new pitch and re-assert himself.

Bo Hart could move off second and do some super-Joe stuff.

Junior Spivey was a double-digit-homer middle infielder, but only in Arizona, and only in the pre-drug-testing era.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I'm going to guess Alex Escobar will folow the example of his estranged brother Alex Ochoa and find his five tools in time to put together a modest career as a platoonist/reserve/fourth outfielder. My marker is down.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

I'd ask Kris Benson about Fogg, he'd ask Anna, and Anna could tell me whether a date with Rick Peterson could help things.

I'll be aggressively optimistic and predict the Win Share Contest Winner will be TYLER YATES (but for the Orioles)

[seawolf17]

Johnny Dickshot wrote: I'd ask Kris Benson about Fogg, he'd ask Anna, and Anna could tell me whether a date with Rick Peterson could help things.

I don't think Anna would date Rick Peterson... he's way too old for her.

I'll take Ryan Franklin. Kind of a crapshoot, but in my mind, he's the type of veteran pitcher who will sign on with a bottom-third team and go 8-11 in 32 starts.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I get the notion that Pedro is just the guy for pitchers in transition to be around. How he throws the change, when, and where --- as well as how he sets it up --- I think it's been as much a positive influence on the rest of the staff as Peterson.

Glavine, Benson, and certainly Heilman all seemed to be throwing the change with more confidence and effectiveness this year.

Pure speculation, of course. But the Mets would do well to look at these guys (and all retreads) from the point of view of who could benefit from extended Pedro exposure.

[Guest HappyRecap]

If we are bringing Feliciano and Parra back in for spring training looks, really any of these pitchers are worth a shot too. Although Wade Miller...two surgeries in two years? Take a pass on him.

That Eric Byrnes situation is weird. Stock has really fallen and he's not even 30. But looking at his stats, he really has had only one solid year.

Of the whole list, I'd vote to bring Timo back.

[MFS62]

Edgy,
Endy Chavez is a candidate for the "three times with the Mets" honor. (but never in the majors)


Later

[Guest Edgy DC]

Well, the question isn't whether any of them are worth a look, but which ones are best worth it. Obviously, there are limited slots and innings available in St. Lucie.

[Frayed Knot]

I suspect a portion of these guys will re-up with the teams that just dropped them - possibly including Yates & Lydon.
These types of moves clear room on the 40-man and the non-tenders can then be re-signed to minor league deals -- so the Obermueller/Kolb deal may have had a point after all.

[Guest HappyRecap]

Edgy,

Very true and that is what might be a problem. It seems that relievers only get a few innings in spring training and then the powers that be deem them ready for the trip north.

I remember the year that Toby Borland-Yorkis Perez-Barry Manuel were the bulk of the bullpen and all if not two of the three were gone by Memorial Day.
What a disaster.

Parra did okay in his last stint but it took almost a full inning to re-tell where he has pitched in his career.

[smg58]

Edgy DC wrote: Gun to your head, smiggy.

OK fine, I'll say Wade Miller because he has the biggest upside, and even two decent months might beat out the rest of this lot.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Thank you. I want more entries.

[Willets Point]

Edgy DC wrote: Thank you. I want more entries.

Why does this always have to be about what you want? Haven't you ever considered my needs?

[DocTee]

Jim Brower is worth a look-- pitched well for SF-- could be a Berto-replacement.

[nymr83]

Dewon Brazelton was well regarded, Junior Spivey would make a decent bench guy.

[Guest Edgy DC]

The odd thing is that I see the toast fly out of the toaster, but never see the bread fly into the toaster. It blows my mind.

[Frayed Knot]

Some thumbnails sketches on a few of the recent Well-Done (non-tender) guys

http://baseballanalysts.com/archives/2005/12/recapping_a_bus.php

[Guest Edgy DC]

So I guess the Mets tendered a contract to Eric Valent. Is he still their property?

[seawolf17]

I don't know, but a quick player search on ESPN.com shows that the Mets and Reds have rights to all four players in the major leagues whose last names start with "Valent."


Search: valent
Valent, Eric New York Mets
Valentin, Javier Cincinnati Reds
Valentin, Jose New York Mets
Valentine, Joe Cincinnati Reds

[duan]

28 year old aussie who's had trouble staying healthy

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/B/grant-balfour.shtml


struck out over a man per innning in both majors and minors. Just needs to put together two injury free seasons to make himself a rich man.

[duan]

and Mr Balfour has just signed for la cincinatti reds at a bargain $375k

though I assume it's a major league contract.