2008 25-Man Roster

[Guest Edgy DC]

What's with the race from the transaction wire to this thread? I can read.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Added to Projected Roster	Traded to Milwaukee	Acquired from Milwaukee	Removed from Projected Roster
Relief Pitchers		Catchers
Burgos	Mota	Estrada	J.A. Reyes

The Estrada name could use some redemption around these parts, Chuck having had a 9+ ERA in 1967, a legacy too sour to be undone by Francisco's 1-2 performance in 1971.

Francisco "Paquin" Estrada has a hell of a legacy nonetheless, being (1) the first Met born in Mexico, (2) the presumed record holder for most games caught in organized baseball, and (3) the manager of the Mexican team that knocked off the US in the World Baseball Classic.

Your 2008 Mets
Starting Pitchers
O. Hernandez	Maine	Martinez	Pelfrey	Perez

[MFS62]

Oops.

Later

[Mex17]

Being that Burgos just had TJ surgery and Sosa is still arbitration eligible (ergo: not a FA and still property of the Mets), I suggest that Burgos go off and Sosa go on.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Added to Projected Roster	Out with Tommy John Surgery
Relief Pitchers
Sosa	Burgos

Good point. I forgot about the tomato juice surgery. Amby will be out most of 2008.

There's a lot of major league property up for tha spot: Juan Padilla and Jason Vargas are also in a fish-or-cut-bait position.

Your 2008 Mets
Starting Pitchers
O. Hernandez	Maine	Martinez	Pelfrey	Perez

[Guest Edgy DC]

Removed from Projected Roster	Acquired from Washington		Traded to DC
Catchers		Outfielders
Estrada	Schneider	Church	Milledge

On one hand, it's time for acceptance. On the other hand, it's time to scratch my head and wonder why the MLB Photoshop gnomes re-jiggered Church's hat and Schneider's but left Estrada's alone. It's as if those little guys somehow knew all along he'd never take the field for the Mets.

Your 2008 Mets
Starting Pitchers
O. Hernandez	Maine	Martinez	Pelfrey	Perez

[Elster88]

They must be photo-shopping over at MLB.com right? Did Milledge really take a picture that fast? And have the exact same facial expression as his old picture?

[Guest Edgy DC]

Yeah, they're photoshopping. Some of these photos change within an hour of the time the deal is announced.

[Guest Edgy DC]

While techinically, you know, journalistic fraud, this is a time-honored tradition from the days when "Photoshop" was spelled "Sharpie."

[seawolf17]

One of the best baseball cards ever.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Is that a tracheotomy scar or a flaw on the card?

[Guest Edgy DC]

Signed from Milwaukee	Removed from Projected Roster
Relief Pitchers
Wise	Smith

Wise looks more stoked than Stokes.

So, we've added Wise, Stokes, and Register to our bullpen mix. None of these are a big splash, but bullpens are splash-resistant things, and it's very often innocuous moves that make the difference with them

I don't know what difference these seemingly innocuous moves will make, but we'll see. A big issue is whether Duaner's shoulder is repaired or his gut is gone.

Your 2008 Mets
Starting Pitchers
O. Hernandez	Maine	Martinez	Pelfrey	Perez

[Vic Sage]

So Rick Wise is a catcher, too? Great pickup!!

]So, we've added Wise, Stokes, and Register to our bullpen mix. None of these are a big splash, but bullpens are splash-resistant things, and it's very often innocuous moves that make the difference with them

yes, innocuous moves like Bell+Ring for Adkins+Johnson.

But a good bullpen is often a matter of just getting guys at the right time, and being willing to dump guys going south to try others. That's why its hard to have a good one year-in and year-out.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Agreed. It's also why the Schoenewiss deal stunk before the ink was dry. Hopefully this move is more like Minaya getting back to his senses.

Who knows? Maybe losing Adkins is the difference-maker this year.

[Guest AG/DC]

Time to catch up.

Your Projected 2008 Mets
Starting Pitchers
O. Hernandez Don Cardwell Memorial Savvy Veteran Starter Roster Slot	Maine	Martinez	Pelfrey	Perez

[MFS62]

seawolf17 wrote: One of the best baseball cards ever.

The scrren name of a poster on another old baseball site used to be "Oscar Gamble's Fro' in a Lid".
He might have been influenced by that card's picture.
Or maybe just Oscar.

Later

[Guest AG/DC]

Signed and Invited to Spring Training

Relief Pitchers

Rincon

Hopefully, we're assembling some of the bullpen reinforcements that we didn't have last season in September.

Your Projected 2008 Mets
Starting Pitchers
O. Hernandez Don Cardwell Memorial Savvy Veteran Starter Roster Slot	Maine	Martinez	Pelfrey	Perez

[Guest AG/DC]

Oh, and the free agent tracker, as best as I know.

2007--2008 Mets Major and Minor League Free Agents Blue=Major League Free Agent Orange=Minor League Free Agent
Starting Pitchers
Re-Signed	Still on Market	Signed Away/ Retired
		Tom Glavine (2008: Atlanta)
		Brian Lawrence (2008: Kansas City)
		Dave Williams (2008: Yokohama Baystars)
Relief Pitchers
Re-Signed	Still on Market	Signed Away/ Retired
		Jon Adkins (2008: Cincinnati)
Joe Hietpas (2007: St. Lucie)
	Ricardo Morales (2007: St. Lucie, Binghamton)
	Clint Nageotte (2007: New Orleans)
Juan Padilla (2007: DL)
		Marcelo Perez (2008: Detroit)
		Corey Ragsdale (2008: Texas)
	Jos� Santiago (2007: New Orleans)
	Ra�l Valdes (2007: St. Lucie, Binghamton)
Catchers
Re-Signed	Still on Market	Signed Away/ Retired
	Sandy Alomar, Jr. (2007: New Orleans, New York)

[Guest AG/DC]

Demoted from Projected Roster	Acquired from Minnesota	Traded to Minnesota
Starting Pitchers					Outfield- ers
Pelfrey	Santana	Humber	Mulvey	Guerra	Gomez

How do you like this roster now?

Your Projected 2008 Mets
Starting Pitchers
O. Hernandez Don Cardwell Memorial Savvy Veteran Starter Roster Slot	Maine	Martinez	Perez	Santana

[Guest AG/DC]

Claimed off Waivers from Oakland, 1/30, Added to 40-Man Roster	Signed Away, 1/14, by Colorado
Relief Pitchers
Ruddy Lugo	Ricardo Morales

Some other recent transactions, highlighted by the return of native son Ruddy Lugo.

Your Projected 2008 Mets
Starting Pitchers
O. Hernandez Don Cardwell Memorial Savvy Veteran Starter Roster Slot	Maine	Martinez	Perez	Santana

[Guest AG/DC]

Signed to Minor League Deals and Invited to Camp
Relief Pitchers	Outfield-ers
Nelson Figueroa	Ben Johnson

Some signings to work with until we get us some Craig Wilson.

Only nine starting pitchers in camp thus far.

Your Projected 2008 Mets
Starting Pitchers
O. Hernandez Don Cardwell Memorial Savvy Veteran Starter Roster Slot	Maine	Martinez	Perez	Santana

[Guest AG/DC]

Signed to Minor League Deals and Invited to Camp
Starting Pitchers	Infielders
Tony Armas, Jr.	Olmedo Saenz

Your Projected 2008 Mets
Starting Pitchers
O. Hernandez Don Cardwell Memorial Savvy Veteran Starter Roster Slot	Maine	Martinez	Perez	Santana

[Guest AG/DC]

Signed to Minor League Deal and Invited to Camp	Invited to Camp
Outfield- ers	Starting Pitchers		Relief Pitchers
Brady Clark	Niese	Parnell	Kunz	Rustich
Invited to Camp		Retired
Catchers	Infielders	Catchers
Nickeas	Abreu	Sandy Alomar, Jr. (2007: New Orleans, New York)

The list of minor league invites is in, at least partially up to date.

Nice to have a Michel Abreu sighting.

Your Projected 2008 Mets
Starting Pitchers
O. Hernandez Don Cardwell Memorial Savvy Veteran Starter Roster Slot	Maine	Martinez	Perez	Santana

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

What's that logo on Kunz' cap?

[Guest AG/DC]

Thanks for asking. I believe you're looking at an AFL Scottsdale Scorpion.

[Benjamin Grimm]

If the above 25-man roster turns out to be accurate, there will only be four players making their Mets debut on the Opening Day roster: Santana, Church, Schneider, and Wise.

In recent years, the Opening Day debut count has been much higher, more like 10 or 12.

There's been so much roster churn lately that it's nice to see some stability. At least three of the new guys will be playing key roles, so we won't be seeing the same team as we did in 2007. But the supporting cast is mostly unchanged. The Mets are getting significant change without importing a bunch of new faces. I like it.

[Guest AG/DC]

Now 2009, there you'll see some change.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Probably. Unless a bunch of the 2009 guys debut some time in 2008.

[Theoldmole]

Who's Parnell, and is he related to Mel?

And can that be right? The Mets have another outfielder named Endy Chavez? I thought having two guys named Ambiorix in the organization was impressive, but this outdoes it.

[Guest AG/DC]

Lunchbucket's adopted son.