Rule 5 Draft

[seawolf17]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I'm not sure I got Emaus pronounced right either.

His dad, Mick, has a much more pronounceable name.

[Frayed Knot]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Yeah, I'm thinking it's "Bee AAH Toe"

I always thought it was BEE-Toe but now I don't know whether I heard that or was merely assuming it.

Either way, he was drafted by the Mets when 'Draft and Follow' was still in place, a deal where you could draft a HS kid and watch him for a year at a non-4-yr college and then sign him at anytime up to within a week of the next year's draft - something the new Aug 15th deadline makes obsolete.
So, after going in something like the 17th round spending a year at St Petersburg College in Florida, the Mets liked him well enough to offer him 2nd round money. Problem was, he wanted 1st round money and so a signing which everyone expected to take place (hometown kid and all) didn't. This may have been an example where league pressure kept the Mets from offering more or maybe they just didn't like him at a million+ dollars. IIRC, he wanted close to $1.5mil while the Mets were offering 750K and neither side would budge enough so he wound up re-entering the draft and was plucked by Baltimore early in the supplemental round (pick #32) and signed about mid-way between those two figures.

[seawolf17]

Beato was born 10/27/86, the same day as Jon Niese and, of course, 44 days before the Kevin McReynolds/Kevin Mitchell trade.

[batmagadanleadoff]

RealityChuck wrote: I was always curious about this: How is Joe Grzenda pronounced? Is the Z silent? (Grenda?) It was Gruh-ZEND-a. The "r" was used as a vowel (like in "Vrooman," a Dutch name).

Thanks. So it's three syllables for the one-time Met. I knew Grzenda from my baseball cards and from the first Strat-O-Matic set I ever played (1971 season). Grzenda's '71 campaign with the old Senators was his career best season. He was one of the AL's premiere relievers (70.1 IP) that year and was drafted in any 1971 SOM All-Star league I was ever involved in (unless we played NL only). But because I rarely if ever, watched Yankee games, I never learned how to pronounce his name.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

AA links to some good stuff from BP's Kevin Goldstein on Emaus:

2008, Blue Jays Top Prospects-- #7 (behind Travis Snyder and Brett Cecil, ahead of Ricky Romero and Marc Rzyepcynski-sp?):

The Good: Emaus just plays the game right. He works the count well, has an excellent knack for contact displayed by more walks (60) than strikeouts (56) last year and gap power with the ability to pound mistakes. He makes the plays on any balls within reach and has a strong enough arm for third base, a position he played at times in the Hawaii Winter League. He's a baseball rat who gets the most from his somewhat limited tools, thanks to a maximum effort style and his passion for the game. The Bad: He'll never light up scouts with his tools, and his projection falls below star-level because of it. He's not especially quick, which costs him some range in the infield. Perfect World Projection: A solid everyday second baseman. Glass Half Empty: A utility type who can play anywhere in the infield except shortstop.

Deeeecent-to-good TotalZone numbers on defense (for what THAT's worth), to boot. So... Eckstein with gap power? And multiple positions, too?

Gimme.

[A Boy Named Seo]

I like the sound of that guy.

And it appears we only lost the (allegedly) fireballing Elvin?

[Frayed Knot]

AA links to some good stuff from BP's Kevin Goldstein on Emaus: 2008, Blue Jays Top Prospects-- #7 (behind Travis Snyder and Brett Cecil, ahead of Ricky Romero and Marc Rzyepcynski-sp?): The Good: Emaus just plays the game right. He works the count well, has an excellent knack for contact displayed by more walks (60) than strikeouts (56) last year and gap power with the ability to pound mistakes. He makes the plays on any balls within reach and has a strong enough arm for third base, a position he played at times in the Hawaii Winter League. He's a baseball rat who gets the most from his somewhat limited tools, thanks to a maximum effort style and his passion for the game. The Bad: He'll never light up scouts with his tools, and his projection falls below star-level because of it. He's not especially quick, which costs him some range in the infield. Perfect World Projection: A solid everyday second baseman. Glass Half Empty: A utility type who can play anywhere in the infield except shortstop. Deeeecent-to-good TotalZone numbers on defense (for what THAT's worth), to boot. So... Eckstein with gap power? And multiple positions, too? Gimme.

Y'know what that Goldstein report makes him sound like? ... a lower-ceiling-ed though older and therefore closer to MLB-ready Reese Havens.

[Frayed Knot]

Goldstein on Beato (14th on BP's Orioles prospect list):
His power stuff flourished in bullpen role, and he could hit the big leagues by September


Of course now to hang around in Queens he's going to have to hit the big leagues in six months before September and pitch well enough to stay there unless some kind of side arrangement can be made.


Baseball America says about the same -- Former sandwich pick rejuvenated after moving to pen this year, works mostly off solid sinker.



One way to look at this is that the Mets saved over $1mil 5 years ago when they didn't save him in the draft and now get him back for the low waiver wire price after Baltimore took all the trouble to train him.

[Benjamin Grimm]

It's pretty clear that the Mets are looking to fill two roster spots (if it works out) at the minimum price. Eamus can easily provide everything that Alex Cora, for example, did but at a much lower price. And if Beato works out, he'll be quite a bit cheaper than someone like Dessens.

2011 is going to be a do-the-best-we-can-and-hope-it-works-out year, rather than a going-for-it year. Might as well flesh out the roster with cheap players who could turn out to be as good as whatever veteran they might sign for $1.5 million.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: It's pretty clear that the Mets are looking to fill two roster spots (if it works out) at the minimum price. Eamus can easily provide everything that Alex Cora, for example, did but at a much lower price. And if Beato works out, he'll be quite a bit cheaper than someone like Dessens. 2011 is going to be a do-the-best-we-can-and-hope-it-works-out year, rather than a going-for-it year. Might as well flesh out the roster with cheap players who could turn out to be as good as whatever veteran they might sign for $1.5 million.

Well, yeah, you could frame it that way... except it's probably fairer to say that 2011 is going to be a better-at-valuing-and-properly-rewarding-talent-with-money-and-playing-time year, given the newbies also have the potential to be much, much better than their mates. Hell, one could probably say, "likelihood," given that, say, Dessens' ERA last year seemed to be largely luck-dependent, while Beato comes to the table with better stats, and Eamus has a better bat now than Cora did at ANY point during his career as a professional. (Extending it to the rest of the roster-- Paulino hits lefties better than Barajas did anything.)

[Frayed Knot]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: It's pretty clear that the Mets are looking to fill two roster spots (if it works out) at the minimum price. Eamus can easily provide everything that Alex Cora, for example, did but at a much lower price.

Except that Eamus (from what I've read) is a 3B/2B - and maybe even a corner OF in a pinch - but is decidedly NOT a SS.
Say what you will about Cora, and his age, and his price, and the stupidity of his (thankfully avoided) vesting option, but teams need a real SS to back-up and fill-in and most of them are going to hit pretty much the way Alex Cora did.

Where I think they're going here is to hope someone from the Eamus/Adams/Turner group can hit well enough to man 2B on at least a semi-regular basis which in turn let them mix in, without having to rely on, Murphy and thus get rid of Castillo before the season ever starts - either via a dump trade or just plain release.

A back-up SS might still have to be a separate body.

[Frayed Knot]

And finally, prospect guru John Sickels, says about the Rule 5 picks:

Mets: Bradley Emaus, 2B, from Blue Jays: 24 years old, hit .290/.397/.476 between Double-A and Triple-A. So-so tools, but draws walks and has some power, could stick as a useful bench option with a solid bat.

Mets: Pedro Beato, RHP, from Orioles: 24 years old, former hot prospect had a good season after converting to relief, 2.11 ERA with 50/19 K/BB in 60 innings in Double-A, 16 saves. I can see him sticking in the Mets pen.

Sounds like both guys have a better than average shot at sticking with the club as most Rule 5 guys get returned before the next season ever starts.


Also:
Nationals: Elvin Ramirez, RHP, from Mets: 23 years old, posted 4.16 ERA with 72/49 K/BB in 80 innings between St. Lucie and Binghamton. Drafted for his 95-99 MPH fastball, not his command. Might stick in the bullpen.

[Edgy MD]

I imagine 85% of the guys have "could" and "stick" in their assessments from Sickels.

[MFS62]

seawolf17 wrote: John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I'm not sure I got Emaus pronounced right either. His dad, Mick, has a much more pronounceable name.

Got it.
Nicely done.

Later

[ashie62]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: PIT: Josh Rodriguez, SS, Columbus (CLE) SEA: Jose Flores, RHP, Columbus (CLE) ARI: Joe Paterson, LHP, Fresno (SF) BAL: Adrian Rosario, RHP, Nashville (MIL) KC: Nathan Adcock, RHP, Indianapolis (PIT) WAS: Elvin Ramirez, RHP, Buffalo (NYM) CLE: No pick CHC: Mason Tobin, RHP, Salt Lake (LAA) HOU: Aneury Rodriguez, RHP, Durham (TB) MIL: Patrick Egan, RHP, Norfolk NYM: Bradley Emaus, 2B, Las Vegas (TOR) FLA: Pass LAD: Pass LAA: No pick OAK: Pass DET: No pick COL: Pass TOR: Pass STL: Pass CWS: Pass BOS: Pass SD: George Kontos, RHP, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (NYY) TEX: Pass CIN: Pass ATL: Pass SF: Pass MIN: Scott Diamond, LHP, Gwinnett (ATL) NYY: Robert Fish, LHP, Salt Lake (LAA) TB: Cesar Cabral, LHP, Pawtucket (BOS) PHI: Michael Martinez, IF, Syracuse (WAS) Is there a difference between "Pass" and "No pick"?

Are you taling about nostrils?

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

It's pretty clear that the Mets are looking to fill two roster spots (if it works out) at the minimum price. Eamus can easily provide everything that Alex Cora, for example, did but at a much lower price. Except that Eamus (from what I've read) is a 3B/2B - and maybe even a corner OF in a pinch - but is decidedly NOT a SS. Say what you will about Cora, and his age, and his price, and the stupidity of his (thankfully avoided) vesting option, but teams need a real SS to back-up and fill-in and most of them are going to hit pretty much the way Alex Cora did. Where I think they're going here is to hope someone from the Eamus/Adams/Turner group can hit well enough to man 2B on at least a semi-regular basis which in turn let them mix in, without having to rely on, Murphy and thus get rid of Castillo before the season ever starts - either via a dump trade or just plain release. A back-up SS might still have to be a separate body.

Or part of a three-headed part-time-2B-starter/infield-backup monster: Emaus covers 2B/3B, Murphy covers 2B/1B, and Tejada covers 2B/SS. (In this roster permutation, of course, Castillo covers his head with something other than a Mets cap.)

And speaking of Mr. Emaus, he's acquitting himself decently in the Dominican: .257/.347/.459 with 13 BB/17 K, 4 HRs and 13 XBH in 109 ABs.

(If not quite as well as his potential platoonmate/competition: Murph's at .320/.395/.515 with more walks than Ks in 103 ABs.)

Edited December 10, 2010 by Guest

[Valadius]

I think we have the makings of another Jeff Francoeur Frequently-Misspelled Player. It's E-M-A-U-S.

Hey, maybe we should make it a roster spot.

[batmagadanleadoff]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Or part of a three-headed part-time-2B-starter/infield-backup monster: Eamus covers 2B/3B, Murphy covers 2B/1B, and Tejada covers 2B/SS. (In this roster permutation, of course, Castillo covers his head with something other than a Mets cap.)

This plan requires three backup infielders. Haven't the Mets been going with two backup infielders, two backup outfielders and one backup catcher (12 pitchers, 13 non-pitchers)? Also, and according to Alderson, isn't it unlikely that Tejada starts the 2011 season in the majors?

[Edgy MD]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Or part of a three-headed part-time-2B-starter/infield-backup monster: Eamus covers 2B/3B, Murphy covers 2B/1B, and Tejada covers 2B/SS. (In this roster permutation, of course, Castillo covers his head with something other than a Mets cap.)

The Projected 2011 Roster Update Thread (Pro-11 RostUp) isn't forecasting Ruben Tejada to make the opening day roster, but rather the sadly overlooked but out out-of-options Luis Hernandez.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: Or part of a three-headed part-time-2B-starter/infield-backup monster: Eamus covers 2B/3B, Murphy covers 2B/1B, and Tejada covers 2B/SS. (In this roster permutation, of course, Castillo covers his head with something other than a Mets cap.) This plan requires three backup infielders. Haven't the Mets been going with two backup infielders, two backup outfielders and one backup catcher (12 pitchers, 13 non-pitchers)? Also, and according to Alderson, isn't it unlikely that Tejada starts the 2011 season in the majors?

DAVIS
REYES
WRIGHT
MURPHY (2B platoon/1B backup)
EMAUS (2B platoon/3B backup)
TEJADA/HERNANDEZ/TURNER (2B backup/SS backup)

6 infielders. Two backups (which ones are benched depends on who's in at second/taking a blow elsewhere). Same as it ever was.

Seems to me pretty prudent to have at least one plus- (or average-to-above-average) defender in the middle-infield mix, hence Tejada. But if they're more comfortable with one of the others that plays short, by all means...

[ashie62]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Or part of a three-headed part-time-2B-starter/infield-backup monster: Eamus covers 2B/3B, Murphy covers 2B/1B, and Tejada covers 2B/SS. (In this roster permutation, of course, Castillo covers his head with something other than a Mets cap.) This plan requires three backup infielders. Haven't the Mets been going with two backup infielders, two backup outfielders and one backup catcher (12 pitchers, 13 non-pitchers)? Also, and according to Alderson, isn't it unlikely that Tejada starts the 2011 season in the majors? DAVIS REYES WRIGHT MURPHY (2B platoon/1B backup) EMAUS (2B platoon/3B backup) TEJADA/HERNANDEZ/TURNER (2B backup/SS backup) 6 infielders. Two backups (which ones are benched depends on who's in at second/taking a blow elsewhere). Same as it ever was. Seems to me pretty prudent to have at least one plus- (or average-to-above-average) defender in the middle-infield mix, hence Tejada. But if they're more comfortable with one of the others that plays short, by all means...

Where does Luis Castillo end up?

[Frayed Knot]

6 infielders. Two backups (which ones are benched depends on who's in at second/taking a blow elsewhere). Same as it ever was.

[metirish]

Alderson on his conference call with area bloggers(including our own Greg, our own?,c an I even call you that?

Alderson was satisfied there was enough insight among his lieutenants J.P. Ricciardi and Paul DePodesta, new scout Roy Smith and those who were around before they all showed up to make those calls not terribly vexing. The �lack of organizational knowledge,� however, may have shown up in �preparing for the Rule 5 draft,� in which the Mets lost pitching prospect Elvin Ramirez to the Nationals..

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

metirish wrote: Alderson on his conference call with area bloggers(including our own Greg, our own?,c an I even call you that?

Also, our own Ceetar.

[G-Fafif]

I think we may have to refer to "our own Pedro Beato" based on his excitement over being with his new/destined team. From Adam Rubin:

On the day the Mets last completed a World Series title, Pedro Beato was born in the Dominican capital, Santo Domingo. Now, he is a member of the organization -- at least entering spring training. Beato was selected by the Mets in the Rule 5 draft at the winter meetings Thursday, along with second baseman Brad Emaus. Those players will officially become Mets property if they spend the entire 2011 season on the Mets' major league roster. Otherwise, they must be placed on waivers and then offered back to their former clubs. �It�s a happy moment," said Beato, a product of Xaverian High School in Brooklyn. "The first team that picked me out of high school, it�s the Mets. The year I was born, the day I was born, is the same day they won the World Series. I�ve heard people say it�s probably meant to be."

Alas, he grew up admiring players, not rooting for his new favorite team:

Beato didn�t root for the Yankees or Mets, and didn�t have a favorite team. He just followed some players and tried to pattern himself after them, Hall of Famers that is. �Pedro Martinez. Roger Clemens. Andy Pettitte -- I liked his work ethic," Beato said. "Roger Clemens, he�s an animal. He�s worked for what he�s got. He worked to make himself the best that he could be.�

He's right about Clemens being an animal. Animals can't differentiate between broken bats and foul balls either.

[metirish]

Clemens and Pettitte's work ethic was so good they felt hard work alone wasn't enough.

[Edgy MD]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: So the Nats took our flamethrower. Oh well. The reports make it seem like a fish story to me. He was a guy with a decent arm, in the 90s and suddenly he's a 99mph guy.

And nearly 11 months, a shoulder surgery, and $25,000 later, the Mets get him back.

I suppose they could lose him again this draft.

[Ceetar]

Edgy DC wrote: John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: So the Nats took our flamethrower. Oh well. The reports make it seem like a fish story to me. He was a guy with a decent arm, in the 90s and suddenly he's a 99mph guy. And nearly 11 months, a shoulder surgery, and $25,000 later, the Mets get him back. I suppose they could lose him again this draft.

if they don't protect him. Since everyone assumes the Mets will only sign like 1 player cause they're completely broke, maybe they'll throw him on there for good measure.

but seriously, I'm not sure if anyone would bother taking him now. Coming off surgery and never pitching in the majors, doesn't seem like a good guy to bog down a 25man roster with.

[Edgy MD]

I'm not betting he'll get claimed or anything, but I wouldn't be shocked.

In this case, the Nats ended up paying 25 Gs for the honor of covering his medical expenses and rehab for a year.

[Edgy MD]

Oh, and since he was on the 25-man roster all year, he got a major league salary. Nice.