Luis Castillo

[Guest Edgy DC]

Things you may or may not know about Castillo...

• Doesn't really steal anymore, and wasn't too efficient when he did.


• Has a bit of belly, and may join Roger Cedeño and Vince Coleman in the category of "fast Mets who had a bit of a belly."


• Once had a 35-game hit streak.


• Like many switch-hitters, he's a different hitter righthander (driving the ball into the gaps, than lefthanded (slap it towards the hole and run).


• Has only put up an OPS+ of over 100 three times, and is currently at 90, though that's not fully indicative because OPS+ undervalues OBP.


• From the legendary San Pedro de Marcoris.


• The Twins got him for two minor leaguers, and are now trading him for two minor leaguers.


• Is part of a group of smallballing Twins --- along with Jason Tyner, Jason Bartlett, and Nick Punto --- nicknamed the Pirahnas. Well, he was.


• Hits millions of grounders.


• Isn't Mark Texiera

What else do you know about Luis Castillo?

[DocTee]

Currently in the top five all time for highest percentage of hits being singles.

[metsmarathon]

we could've had him instead of kaz matsui, i think...

[metirish]

BR has him listed at 145 lb......thinking that's not true,not at 5' 11" anyway.

[Benjamin Grimm]

His lifetime numbers against the Mets are pretty similar to his overall numbers:

http://leaptoad.com/mets/profile.php?PlayerCode=4926

.298 batting average, .364 OBP, .352 Slg.

35 steals in 115 games, which is pretty darn good. (He can probably tip his cap to Mike Piazza for that one.) A total of 132 hits, 115 of them were singles.

[Willets Point]

Holy shit! A second baseman!

[Guest Edgy DC]

Castillo is definitely carrying more than 145 under his shirt. I'd guess 170.

[Centerfield]

ESPN says he's 31. Not sure I believe that.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Will he and Andy Hernandy arm-wrestle for 1?

That's a lot of Dominicans in our infield.

[Frayed Knot]

Wow, a new thread for breaking news ... what a concept!!


Castillo is on the final year - an added on option year actually - of a contract that started in 2004.
We'd only be responsible for a portion (~35%) of his 2007 salary with no apparent buy-outs or bonuses added on.
He'd then be a FA after the season.


Recent salary history:

3 years/$16M (2004-06), plus $5.75M 2007 option
2007 option vested 8/06

$2M signing bonus
04:$4M, 05:$4.5M, 06:$5M, 07:$5.75M club option ($0.5M buyout)
2007 option becomes guaranteed with 501 Plate Appearances in 2006

re-signed as a free agent 12/03
1 year/$4.85M (2003), re-signed 12/02
$50,000 incentive for 550 PAs
1 year/$3.325M (2002), avoided arbitration 1 /02
1 year/$2.2M (2001), avoided arbitration
agents: Levinson brothers

ML service: 9.055

That last figure means he had 9 years + 55 days in the major leagues at the start of this current season.

[Guest Rotblatt]

We'll get supplemental draft picks if we don't resign him this year.

[Frayed Knot]

Well, those picks will depend on what "Class" of FA he qualifies for after the season and
whether or not we choose to offer him arbitration.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I'm thinking he gets DLtran's spot on the roster.

[Benjamin Grimm]

What are the odds that cleonjones11 shows up saying Omar only made this deal because Castillo is Hispanic?

About the odds of not finding a Beatles song on the radio in 1965.

[Guest Edgy DC]

You're big on the pre-emptive critiques today.

[nymr83]

could be worse, i dont love the guy but he's not bad, he gets caught stealing too much, i hope he has the red light alot with the big guys up if he hits 2nd.

[Guest sharpie]

I like his defense at second base. I suspect Gotay will still get the odd start and that Easley'll mostly be a backup outfielder.

[Guest OlerudOwned]

sharpie wrote: I like his defense at second base. I suspect Gotay will still get the odd start and that Easley'll mostly be a backup outfielder.

Zone rating actually puts Castillo toward the bottom of the AL in defense at second base, which would fit in with many Twins fans opinion that he tends to give minimal effort in the field. I'm hoping that by taking him off the killer turf and throwing him into a pennant race will light a bit o' fire under his ass.

[Guest sharpie]

Have to admit that I haven't seen him much since he went to the Twins. He seemed to scarf up everything as a Marlin as I recall.

[Guest OlerudOwned]

sharpie wrote: Have to admit that I haven't seen him much since he went to the Twins. He seemed to scarf up everything as a Marlin as I recall.

I know he has made comments about not liking the artificial turf, and the effect it's had on his legs may be part of the problem.

It's also worth mentioning that his ZR is still higher than Gotay's.

[Guest Kid Carsey]

SNY just said the Mets have a new second baseman and Castillo's the guy.
They didn't say yet what the terms of the trade are.

[Guest Kid Carsey]

I think they said Martin and Butera, but I was on the phone.

[metsmarathon]

OlerudOwned wrote: ="sharpie"]I like his defense at second base. I suspect Gotay will still get the odd start and that Easley'll mostly be a backup outfielder. Zone rating actually puts Castillo toward the bottom of the AL in defense at second base, which would fit in with many Twins fans opinion that he tends to give minimal effort in the field. I'm hoping that by taking him off the killer turf and throwing him into a pennant race will light a bit o' fire under his ass.

a fast turf could conceivably depress his zone rating... maybe.

[seawolf17]

Kid Carsey wrote: I think they said Martin and Butera, but I was on the phone.

With Omar, of course.

I like Castillo; good move.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I'm a fan of zone rating, but artificial turf is really the exception these days and it certainly may skew results. We should check the data on Twinkie infielders over a few seasons.

This puts me in mind of Bordick.

[TransMonk]

Edgy DC wrote: This puts me in mind of Bordick.

Now that you mention it...

I would totally agree had we given up ML talent...Castillo's a little less of an overreaction based on needs.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Yeah, I'm not saying it's absolutely analogous.

But I probably would have argued that we could have better used an outfield bat in 2000 also.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I suppose we could still see Jay Payton or Jeff Conine.

[Guest cleonjones11]

Yancy Street Gang wrote: What are the odds that cleonjones11 shows up saying Omar only made this deal because Castillo is Hispanic? About the odds of not finding a Beatles song on the radio in 1965.

Castillo is totally over the hill

[Guest cleonjones11]

I was hopimg it was Carlos Bellcrap for Torri Hunter

Carlos has quads from the Godz..they suck..