Starting Pitcher for 2010

[TransMonk]

Lackey, Wolf and Marquis are out. The above are pitchers the Mets have been rumored to be interested in. Which one is the one you would most like to add to the rotation? Take the following into consideration and remember that these figures are estimates and rumors:

Free Agents:
Ben Sheets 1yr/$12M (+$5M in incentives and possible vesting option for 2011)
Joel Pinero 4yrs/$50M
Jon Garland 2yrs/$16M?
Chien-Ming Wang cheap

Trades:
Carlos Zambrano will most likely cost at least John Maine, Luis Castillo and a prospect which will cause the Mets to pay for another 2Bman and pay Zambrano the following: 2010:$17.875M, 2011:$17.875M, 2012:$18M, 2013:$19.25M vesting player option (1 or 2 in CYA voting in 2011 OR top 4 in CYA voting in 2012 and is "healthy")
Aaron Harang will earn the following: 2010:$12.5M, 2011:$12.75M ($2M buyout) and will cost propects and possibly John Maine
Bronson Arroyo will earn the following: 2010:$11M, 2011:$11M club option ($2M buyout) and will cost propects and possibly John Maine
Gil Meche will earn the following: 2010:$12M, 2011:$12M and from reports would cost Castillo and propects, again meaning we would need to pay for a new 2Bman. We may also need to take on a "bad" contract in order to work this deal such as Kyle Farnsworth (2010:$4.5M, 2011:$5.25M club option ($0.5M buyout)) or Juan Cruz (2010:$3.25M, 2011:$4M club option ($0.5M buyout))

The trades would be fluid, meaning it is hard to gauge the other clubs interest in trading these pitchers or what their asking price may be. If you have other pitchers you would be interested in, please list them including what it night take to get them.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

If were were to swallow a guy like Harang whole -- the equivalent of signing him to a 2 year, $27M contract -- there's no way he'd also be worth John Maine.

I think the smart play there would be to pay the freight on Harang and pass along Maine provided they throw in Brandon Phillips. They can even have a prospect and Castillo.

For whatever reason I've always liked Meche a little.

[MFS62]

Sheets. The upside is enormous - he's a half run per game in ERA better than the other free agents. But there would have to be extensive medical tests before he would be signed.

Later

[TransMonk]

I like Meche as well, but I went with Garland as he is cheap and consistent.

In a perfect world Garland would be a great backup for Sheets. But I can't find myself relying on Sheets for that kind of money with his injury record.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Now THAT's what I call a poll question. Nice, TM. To the contenders.

Sheets: Hasn't approached 200 innings since 2004. Unless his agents give us an extended warranty... not at that price.
Pineiro: (See "Sheets.")
Garland: Mebbe. Would prefer 1 yr/$8-9M.
Wang: Mebbe-plus. I would love to get him in conjunction with a more durable primary addition, though.

Zambrano: The price tag's rough, and my feelings on the trade kinda depend on the prospect (if Neuwenheis, then mebbe... anything beyond that, and I'm holding out, or asking the Cubs for cash). Between the Venezuelan-ness, the outsized personality and the durability... he seems like exactly what we're looking for, though.
Harang: Mebbe-plus. But not if Maine's the cost.
Arroyo: (See "Harang.")
Meche: Like him a lot. But I wonder whether Trey Hillman might have broken him at this point.

Ultimately... I hate myself a little for saying this, and I'd probably jump down somebody's throat for saying this, but... Zambrano. He's a big honking 30-start machine, and still just 28.

I'd settle for an adjusted Harang deal, with a side of Wang. I would like to get my hands on that Wang.

[smg58]

Depends on price. Carlos Zambrano is the most likely to produce a significant upgrade over a full season, but he also appears to be the most expensive (in fact, it doesn't look close) unless the Cubs would take Ollie in addition to Castillo and thereby cancel out the salary difference (not likely, but I'd ask). Sheets has the most upside, but could I get Wang for substantially less? The Mets have no business including prospects in any deal for a player not worth his contract, so any team who insists on that would not get a return call from me.

Like I've mentioned before, I'd roll the dice on upside before I made a multiyear commitment to a pitcher who might not be much of an upgrade. Based on your hypothetical asking prices, I'd say Wang is the best value, but I'm not sure that any of those pitchers will get anywhere near those amounts.

[ashie62]

Gil Meche-quietly reliable..

[smg58]

Another thing on Wang -- this would only be his fifth full season, so he'd be under the team's control next year. That's not an insignificant factor if he performs well.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

Of the free agents, Ben Sheets has the greatest ceiling, however his durability is questionable at best. Jon Garland is likely to be reasonably inexpensive and he has thrown 200+ innings 6 of the past 7 years (only threw 196.2 in 2008). The Mets need someone that can give the bullpen a little lighter load to carry since they will likely be pretty busy when Maine and Perez are starting.

I would hope to get a higher quality of pitcher if the team has to resort to a trade. I don't think the Mets have enough prospects to use them to acquire a middle of the rotation (#3) starter.

[nymr83]

None of those trade potentials excite me because they all make too much money considering that the Mets would also give players up.

Of the free agents, an incentive-laden deal for Sheets would be my favorite choice, but more than 5 or 6 million gauranteed seems nuts with his injury history.

[Fman99]

I'm a big fan of Chien-Ming Cock.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Not from the most reliable sources, but there's some specameculation out there that there's some thought that Mets are interested in using John Smoltz to fill the role of Pitcher Who Used to Be Good but Now Isn't.

He would also inherit Billy Wagner's role of Staff Bald Guy.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

I'm bald, I suck, and I'm willing to work for the major league minimum. Anybody got Omar's number?

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Edgy DC wrote: Not from the most reliable sources, but there's some specameculation out there that there's some thought that Mets are interested in using John Smoltz to fill the role of Pitcher Who Used to Be Good but Now Isn't. He would also inherit Billy Wagner's role of Staff Bald Guy.

Yeah, we still need one of those. (Well, hopefully we do.)

Ooh, and if we don't have to count on him, he could be the reverse-Glavine of Manchurian Braves. We could have him only pitch in blowouts during rainy games, warm up at odd times and not come in, and just generally get our money's worth in sadism.

Yeah, I did the "we" thing. Sue me.

[Benjamin Grimm]

The buzz seems to be that the Mets are considering Smoltz as a starter, which kind of surprises me. (Had he been starting in Boston and St. Louis?)

He may be a guy who could be in the mix, but he's not the guy to finish off the rotation.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Yep, he did. In both stops (8 in Boston, 7 in St. Loo).

[Benjamin Grimm]

According to Ed Price of AOL FanHouse, the Mets are having in-depth talks with right-hander Joel Pineiro about a contract that is worth around two years and $15 million.

I never heard of Ed or AOL FanHouse, so I don't know how credible a source he might be, so take the above for whatever it may be worth.

[ashie62]

Price is like many, sometime right, sometimes wrong.

So the Mets & Dodgers seem to be the last standing for Piniero with the Dodgers apparently willing to go 3 years but for less dollars per annum than the Mets 2.

This may be Piniero's last "big contract" opportunity so i don't blame him for wanting 3 years, but he does have a history of arm trouble.

I like Joel and Harang

[Frayed Knot]

So is this Price guy (and, by extension, MLB Fanhouse) an actual reporter with actual information or just an internet guy/site repeating what's already been seen and heard elsewhere?


Heyman mentions the Mets as one of the teams Jarrod Washburn has been in contact with.

[MFS62]

Edgy DC wrote: Not from the most reliable sources, but there's some specameculation out there that there's some thought that Mets are interested in using John Smoltz to fill the role of Pitcher Who Used to Be Good but Now Isn't. He would also inherit Billy Wagner's role of Staff Bald Guy.

Just rip my heart out of my chest, why don't you.
Are the Mets to become the retirement home for ex-Braves hall of famers?

And a tough and gritty ex-Brave from their glory years?
That would be like inviting Osama Bin Laden to a Bar Mitzvah.
At least Glavine was a wimp with no personality.
Smoltz would be a disaster.

Later

[A Boy Named Seo]

MFS62 wrote: Edgy DC wrote: Not from the most reliable sources, but there's some specameculation out there that there's some thought that Mets are interested in using John Smoltz to fill the role of Pitcher Who Used to Be Good but Now Isn't. He would also inherit Billy Wagner's role of Staff Bald Guy. Just rip my heart out of my chest, why don't you. Are the Mets to become the retirement home for ex-Braves hall of famers? And a tough and gritty ex-Brave from their glory years? That would be like inviting Osama Bin Laden to a Bar Mitzvah. At least Glavine was a wimp with no personality. Smoltz would be a disaster. Later

That's in no way an overreaction.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Perspective, gentlemen.

[A Boy Named Seo]

Edgy DC wrote: Perspective, gentlemen.

Gentlemen? I think maybe you didn't get me.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I posted before yours appeared.

[A Boy Named Seo]

Gotcha.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I can't see why we'd prefer a "wimp" to someone who's "tough and gritty."

[MFS62]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I can't see why we'd prefer a "wimp" to someone who's "tough and gritty."

Well, the Mets did sign the wimp. Tough and gritty is ok when you still have the ability to back it up. And I don't think he has it any more. I'm tough and gritty, but I wouldn't want the Mets to sign me for only that reason, either.

Later

[Benjamin Grimm]

At least Glavine was a wimp with no personality. Smoltz would be a disaster.

You're clearly saying that you prefer the wimp.

[MFS62]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: At least Glavine was a wimp with no personality. Smoltz would be a disaster. You're clearly saying that you prefer the wimp.

I guess that's the way it came out. Not what I meant.
Just two different types of dislike.

Later

[Frayed Knot]

I never disliked either guy.