Hisanori Takahashi

[Benjamin Grimm]

The Mets face a deadline with Hisanori Takahashi D.J. Short Oct 24, 2010, 11:15 AM EDT Interesting situation between the Mets and Hisanori Takahashi. According to David Waldstein of the New York Times, the Mets have until October 31 (next Sunday) to sign Takahashi to a new contract or else they are prohibited from signing the left-hander until May 15, 2011. Why? Well, it�s little complicated. When the Mets signed Takahashi to a minor league contract in February, there was a clause inserted in his contract which stated that he must be released by October 31 in order to become a free agent. According to MLB rules, any player who is released after midnight August 31 and before Opening Day of the next season cannot sign a major league deal with the same team until May 15. So, basically, if the Mets don�t re-sign him by next Sunday, he�ll end up elsewhere. Only adding to the uncertainty is that the Mets haven�t decided on a general manager. Acting GM John Ricco has been handling the negotiations with Takahashi�s agent Peter Greenberg. It�s hard to know if Sandy Alderson or Josh Byrnes would agree with handing Takahashi a multi-year contract, for example, but the left-hander looks like he would be an asset to any pitching staff. Takahashi, who turns 36 next April, went 10-6 with a 3.61 ERA in 12 starts and 41 relief appearances with the Mets this season. After Francisco Rodriguez went down with a season-ending thumb injury, he went a perfect 8-for-8 in save opportunities.

[ashie62]

Maybe Ricci has been taling to Takahashi's agent?

[metirish]

It is complicated but what is not complicated is that he should be wearing Mets colors next season.

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

Well it sure would look funny if he's wearing Phillies colors while pitching for the Mets!

But seriously, I'd want him back. I guy who can spot start, close and be a set-up man is valuable, and he did have 10 wins.

[batmagadanleadoff]

One possible glitch is that Takahashi prefers to start rather thatn relieve.

Takahashi, who turns 36 on April 2, would seem to be an asset to any pitching staff, but that depends on the price and the length of his contract. In his rookie year, Takahashi proved to be one of the most versatile pitchers the Mets have had in recent years, virtually an entire pitching staff rolled into one man. He went 10-6 with a 3.61 earned run average as a starter, a long reliever, a left-handed specialist, an eighth-inning setup man and ultimately the closer.... Takahashi has said he wants to be a starting pitcher, but Newsday recently reported that he would be willing to accept a role as a reliever.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/24/sports/baseball/24mets.html

[seawolf17]

Sign the hell out of him, Fred, and let the new GM figure it out.

[Frayed Knot]

Would seem to be worth a 2-year deal if the price is reasonable - although I'm not quite sure where I'd stick the boundries for "reasonable".
Wouldn't want to go beyond 2 years though.