Plan B From Outer Space

[MFS62]

OK, so let's say that all the current offers come back "no thanks".
Seattle signs Bay and Molina keeps smoking crack (see other thread).

Here's my Plan B: no minor leaguers lost.
Sign:

DeRosa -LF/ utility - the guy hit 25 homers last year and can play both LF and 2B. And a helluva lot cheaper than Bay until F-Mart is healthy.

Sheets -SP - 2 years, with incentive clauses that can make him the 4YR, $42 Million pitcher he should be if healthy.

Marquis-SP - maybe 2/3 yrs at a hometwon discount for immediate help.

Barajas-C - hey, if the Mets can't get one aging, slow catcher with occasional power, they can get this one.

Nady- LF/1B platoon - Why not?


OK, what's YOUR Plan B?

Later

[Frayed Knot]

Is Marlon Byrd still unsigned? -- I know he was a FA this year.

32 y/o; one-time hot prospect for Philly
Decent OFer who can play CF if needed
.350-ish OBAs over the last three seasons; 65 of his 155 hits last year for extra bases (probably helped by Texas stadium)

Not sure if he'd be willing to sign a 1 or 2 year deal.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Hope the Red Sox trade for Adrian Gonzalez, decide this makes Victor Martinez expendable as he is not an everyday catcher and there are no ABs for him at 1B or DH, and trade some prospects for him. He is a switch hitter, so he becomes the catcher vs. righties, with Blanco getting the starts vs, lefties, and the 1B vs most lefties, semi-platooning with Murphy.

WATP, to be sure, but I'd take him in this role. If we like Ike and Thole steps up by 2011, or even the deadline in 2010, then Victor becomes our trading chip, and likely quite desirable to an AL team.

Oh, and what 62 said about Sheets.

[Guest Hawkeye57]

DeRosa, Sheets, Marquis, Nady all seem like good viable options. Not sure when kind of contract Marquis would want but they should just give it to him. Nady seems like a quality pickup, highly doubt the MFYs will try to re-sign him now with having Granderson, Swisher and Cabrera, etc.

Also in Left field, what about Jack Cust? Decent hitter, I know he played at DH all last year with the A's, but a decent power backup plan.

Other options could include Joel Pineiro, Wang, Jarrod Washburn, Rick Ankiel, Nick Green, Hank Blalock.

[Guest Edgy DC]

He played DH because he's a dreadful fielder. Like potentially-worst-in-the-league-type bad.

[MFS62]

He played DH because he's a dreadful fielder. Like potentially-worst-in-the-league-type bad.[/quote:36lz5pkq]

You're being kind.

Later

[Frayed Knot]

Jack Cust is the only out-fielder in the majors who wonders what it would be like to field the position as well as Todd Hundley.

[metirish]

I wonder how the Mets "evaluators" measure Cust's defense specifically towards playing in CF.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

-- I would CERTAINLY take Byrd for 1-2 years. Hell, he'll play as a twice-a-week start at any outfield slot when/if Fartinez or Pagan yoink permanent slots, so I'd give him a vested third-- it may all cost less than one year of Bay.

-- I'd live with Barajas or Torrealba on 1-2 year deals.

-- Kelly Johnson (for 2B insurance/MI and OF backup work), anyone?

-- Sheets, it seems, will be a tricky sign; he's got a lot of interested suitors, but it would be potentially foolhardy to outbid those suitors if it meant guaranteeing him the $10-12 million that he wants. My suggestion: $5-6 million base, thickly larded with MLBPA-acceptability-pushing incentives-- both easy-to-reach innings milestones (200K every 10 IP beyond 50) and more exotic perf bonuses ($1M for 10 CY votes). Essentially, like Orlando Hudson's LA contract, but with higher ceilings. That way, the team "overpays," but only if he earns it (at least via service time).

-- Gimme Bedard with the same deal, but cheaper.

-- The reliever market is flooded, with a bunch of closers/ex-closers finding nobody shopping for saves at their prices. Igarashi's a good 'pen move, but if someone like Valverde or Capps is left holding their schwanz come January or February (see Abreu and Hudson last year), I'd see who'd come in from the cold for cut rates.

-- I'd think about Garland, too. Or-- hell-- Pedro. Screw Marquis and Pineiro, and their inflated price tags-- they're Garland or worse, but with good years in the 2009 rearview.

-- My SP plan's kinda boom-or-bust. But with Johan/Carlos/Jose healthy next year, the team's pushing 75-80 wins anyway. What's the point of aiming for 85? (Also, no long-term deals for the above means flexibility come next winter, no?)

-- For some reason, I'm Larry King today.

-- For my money, gang, there's no finer national-anthem singer than Leann Rimes.

-- DeRosa's versatile. But-- as is the case with a lot of superutility guys-- that just means he plays a lot of positions poorly. His bat "plays" as below-average in LF, RF or 1B, and decent at MI... at a possible $7-8M a year, he strikes me as a little overpriced considering his value to the Mets.

Edited December 17, 2009 by Guest

[smg58]

DeRosa's an interesting free agent, because basically everybody with an open position (or several) to fill has a reason to give him a look. He might not be so cheap as a result, though.

I look at the Mets staff, and I see plenty of guys capable of league-average production if they're right. So given the choice of making a sizable commitment to pitchers like Piniero or Marquis who may not be much better than that, or an incentive-laden deal to somebody like Sheets or Wang who will be significantly better than that for as long/short a time as they're healthy, I'd aim for Sheets or Wang.

Otherwise, I'd look for short-term commitments. Washburn might not be such a bad option if a year is all he wants. Harang intrigues me; the Reds might eat some of the contract and still not ask for anybody we'd miss. There may still be some upside there.

As for leftfield, keep in mind that we have somebody coming of an .837 OPS season who is average defensively in center and comfortably above average in left. Sure Pagan could regress, but if I'm committing significant money I want to know I'm doing better than that. DeRosa could easily play some place else, which certainly helps his value, but I think the team that signs him will have to look on him as plan A. Nady could play first or left against lefties, and he may fall under the radar and be a nice bargain.

I actually think that first base will be an easier position to fill if we miss out on Holliday and Bay. If Delgado would come back for a year and $4M or so, I don't think I'd say no.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

I look at the Mets staff, and I see plenty of guys capable of league-average production if they're right. So given the choice of making a sizable commitment to pitchers like Piniero or Marquis who may not be much better than that, or an incentive-laden deal to somebody like Sheets or Wang who will be significantly better than that for as long/short a time as they're healthy, I'd aim for Sheets or Wang.

Edited December 17, 2009 by Guest

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I think my Plan B outfielder would be Pagan. I know he's gonna fall about 15 homers short of where the Mets would like from a LFer, but as long as he stops doing dumb-ass things on the bases and getting hurt he's solid, and props to Omar, a terrific pickup at the cost of a Class A outfielder. If Pagan is in the OF, then we have to look hard(er) at getting a power-hitting platoonmate for Muffy at 1B.

I like the trade market for pitching as Plan A and Plan B. As said elsewhere, Harang, Meche, Arroyo, Lowe (?) should be options and none ought to be hard to get in terms of talent.

I don't have a good feeling on Marquis, and Piniero looks like he's gonna cost us, so maybe those guys are my Plan B and the trade targets are Plan A.

[Guest Vince Coleman Firecracker]

Byrd, Sheets & Garland, plus Wang or Bedard.

Chapman, anyone?

[Guest Edgy DC]

Don't think the Mets aren't looking at him seriously. But they'd have to run him through the minors first.

Is he playing this winter?

[duan]

marlon byrd is gary matthews jr lite. lite in that he's not going to get as absurd a contract but he's going to get way over paid on the basis of some reasonable counting stats in Texas.

[ashie62]

OK, so let's say that all the current offers come back "no thanks".
Seattle signs Bay and Molina keeps smoking crack (see other thread).

Here's my Plan B: no minor leaguers lost.
Sign:

DeRosa -LF/ utility - the guy hit 25 homers last year and can play both LF and 2B. And a helluva lot cheaper than Bay until F-Mart is healthy.

Sheets -SP - 2 years, with incentive clauses that can make him the 4YR, $42 Million pitcher he should be if healthy.

Marquis-SP - maybe 2/3 yrs at a hometwon discount for immediate help.


Do we get the props from plan nine from outer space for the Delta Club to add atmosphere? Ed Wood was a Dodgers fan.

Barajas-C - hey, if the Mets can't get one aging, slow catcher with occasional power, they can get this one.

Nady- LF/1B platoon - Why not?


Do we get the props from plan nine from outer space for the Delta Club to add atmosphere? Ed Wood was a Dodgers fan.


OK, what's YOUR Plan B?

Later[/quote:1usk7ked]

Edited December 17, 2009 by Guest

[Frayed Knot]

Don't think the Mets aren't looking at [Chapman] seriously. But they'd have to run him through the minors first.

Is he playing this winter?[/quote:nglr1yn9]

Not in any organized league, no.
He held a throwing session (in Texas) for several teams yesterday. The Mets were, I believe, one of those with a rep in attendance.

And, yes, he'd almost certainly have to spend time in the minors first, probably a full year at least.
Fans should think of him more as a promising high draft pick than as a quick impact FA.

[Guest Vince Coleman Firecracker]

And, yes, he'd almost certainly have to spend time in the minors first, probably a full year at least.
Fans should think of him more as a promising high draft pick than as a quick impact FA.

[smg58]

Also... if this looks at all likely, would emptying out the minor-league cupboard for Josh Johnson be improvident?

Nolasco?

[metirish]

Olney says DeRosa is looking for a three year deal worth $18 milion - he's 33 and coming of surgery to repair a torn tendon sheath on his left wrist.....

[metirish]

Chapman per Metsblog quoting various scources

Jorge Arangure of ESPN.com says 21�year-old Cuban free-agent RHP Aroldis Chapman threw roughly 50 pitches in front of 15 teams in Houston earlier this week and, concludes:

Chapman is healthy and in good shape.
He reached 97 mph, though he was mostly in the 92-93 mph range.
He stands at about 6-foot-4, 200-210 pounds.
More teams are interested than anyone had originally thought.
He�s not a bad guy. But, �One team executive suggested that whichever team signs Chapman might need to hire a chaperone to make sure he doesn�t fall into bad habits.�
Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus quotes an MLB insider who feels Chapman could earn a $30 million contract, up from previous reports suggesting his value had been dropping.

According to Buster Olney, of ESPN.com, �Some evaluators view Chapman as a left-handed Stephen Strasburg,� who was the No. 1 pick in the MLB draft last year.




There was a Mets rep there to watch

[Guest Edgy DC]

So, that 102-MPH number. Was that FOX gunning him that day?

[ashie62]

Sometimes you don't need to do anything..

1. Clear track to Bay
2. Have 8th inning guy

Firm up 1B, C, not too difficult

Screw Chapman

[Guest Hawkeye57]

Nolasco?[/quote:2664ru38]

Nope, he went off the market. Got a 1-yr deal.

I think the DeRosa price tag is a bit high, he a Scott Boras client?

[Guest Vince Coleman Firecracker]

Sometimes you don't need to do anything..

1. Clear track to Bay
2. Have 8th inning guy

Firm up 1B, C, not too difficult

Screw Chapman

[Frayed Knot]

And, yes, he'd almost certainly have to spend time in the minors first, probably a full year at least.
Fans should think of him more as a promising high draft pick than as a quick impact FA.

[Guest Vince Coleman Firecracker]

And, yes, he'd almost certainly have to spend time in the minors first, probably a full year at least.
Fans should think of him more as a promising high draft pick than as a quick impact FA.

[Frayed Knot]

Within a year is perhaps reasonable.
I just mean that he's almost certain not to be an opening day roster guy and if he never matched expectations he certainly wouldn't be the first Cuban pitcher to do so.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Well, with 5-10 miles already knocked off the early enticing reports, there's almost bound to be unreasonable expectations.

[ashie62]

There seems to be no other competition to sign Bay. The Japanese signee is superior to Stokes.

C & 1B will take care of itself

Nailing me for a passive Verb? geezus...You must be a real bore