Mets aquire LHP Jason Vargas

[Guest OlerudOwned]

http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/blog/2006/11/metsmarlins_trade.html

] The New York Mets today acquired two, 23-year-old lefthanded pitchers, Jason Vargas and Adam Bostick from the Florida Marlins in exchange for a pair of righthanded pitchers, Henry Owens and Matt Lindstrom. �We think Vargas and Bostick are two promising lefthanded pitchers and we�re happy to have them in the organization,� said Mets General Manager Omar Minaya. The 6-0, 215-pound Vargas began the season in the Marlins rotation. He was 1-1 with a 5.70 ERA over five starts allowing 24 hits, 15 earned runs, 20 walks and 14 strikeouts. As a reliever, he went 0-1 with a 9.31 ERA, 10 walks and 11 strikeouts. In 2005, Vargas started 13 games for Florida going 4-5 with a 4.14 ERA, 28 walks, and 50 strikeouts. In four relief appearances, he went 1-0 with a 2.84 ERA. Vargas started 13 games at Albuquerque (AAA) of the Pacific Coast League in 2006 going 3-6 with a 7.43 ERA. He struck out 51 batters and walked 28 over 69.0 innings pitched. In the Dominican Winter League, he has appeared in four games and not allowed a run in 6.1 innings, with two walks and five strikeouts.

23 years old with supposedly wicked stuff. Seems like they rushed him last season out of neccessity, and he struggled a bit. He's got a ton of talent though, and having he and Perez together is pretty awesome.

[Guest OlerudOwned]

http://www2.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/players/Jason_Vargas/

]Assets Low-mid-90s heat and strong slider and change-up, backed by impressive poise and command for a young pitcher. That slider is killer against left-handed hitters. Flaws Still needs to work on his approach to right-handed hitters, as well as his endurance.

Only 19 career innings in AA. Seems like the Marlins rushed him a little bit. Hopefully, he won't have the same problem here.

[stevejrogers]

He also had some sort of beef with Joe Girardi that caused Girardi to use him as a human pinanta during Mike Pelfrey's debut

[nymr83]

i think this move could be nice, more to the point thiis is just like the Oliver Perez aquisition, i think Omar has the right ideas when it comes to bringing in hard throwing young pitchers and seeing what pans out.

[A Boy Named Seo]

Vargas is a Dirtbag. I used to watch him pitch here for Long Beach State. Second Met, I think. Trachsel was one also.

[seawolf17]

Only that he's dealing two young hard-throwing pitchers. I would have liked to have seen Owens get a shot. As much as I liked Lindstrom, I don't know that he was ever going to harness his arm; and he'll be 27 years old in February.

Vargas basically replaces Ring on the depth chart, but he's four years younger. Good deal, I think.

[nymr83]

isnt Vargas still looked at as a potential rotation guy down the road?

[Guest Edgy DC]

I thought Owens was what made Bell expendable.

[Gwreck]

I thought it was more of a situation in which Bell was never going to get hig enough on the ML depth chart (behind Heilman, Sanchez, Bradford) and was now out of options.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

A Boy Named Seo wrote: Vargas is a Dirtbag. I used to watch him pitch here for Long Beach State. Second Met, I think. Trachsel was one also.

looking for photos of his wife Shelly.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Gwreck wrote: I thought it was more of a situation in which Bell was never going to get hig enough on the ML depth chart (behind Heilman, Sanchez, Bradford) and was now out of options.

Well, with Heilman supposedly on the block, Sanchez rehabbing, and Bradford a free agent, both Bell and Owens were much more dear this past month than they were most of the season.

[Theoldmole]

Sorry to see Owens go.

[MFS62]

I'll miss Owens, too. He seemed to have electric stuff and his control was just bad enough to keep batters from digging in.

Lindstrom never seemed to be consistent in harnessing his almost-00 mph fastball.

Later

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Seems as if Vargas is the one guy of the 4 who might have a real career in front of him. At least, that's what they say. His numbers aren't like, awesome or anything.

Owens was doomed the minute they gave his No. 36 jersey to Kelly Stinnett.