Bullpen Help?

[metirish]

Snooze has this , as speculated in the Quintin thread the Mets are interested in relievers

NY Mets begin to pursue relievers for bullpen, including San Diego Padres' Huston Street and Brad Lidge


Prospects could join the Mets soon, according to sources close to the situation.


Andy Martino

LOS ANGELES � Seeking bullpen help for their competitive but still flawed team, the Mets have developed a profile of the ideal acquisition, according to major league executives with direct knowledge of their thinking: a veteran reliever, ideally with postseason experience, and perhaps a history of success in New York. In other words, the Mets do not see a short-term savior for their troubled bullpen in the farm system, and will initially focus on trading for a high-impact reliever with a history of success, rather than an under-the-radar find. The team has already begun the active pursuit of relievers, and called San Diego to inquire about closer Huston Street, according to one source. Street (1-0) has 11 saves and a 1.42 ERA for the last-place Padres. Brad Lidge, recently released by Washington, won a World Series with Philadelphia in 2008, and the Mets will consider him, according to one source. The Mets are concerned about Lidge�s recent injury history, and have not yet decided whether to pursue the veteran aggressively (and Lidge has not decided if he wants to pitch again this year). Whether or not the Mets sign Lidge, their openness to him provides insight into the type of bullpen help they are seeking: older and playoff-tested. Names mentioned in other recent reports also fit that pattern: Houston�s Brett Myers, Oakland�s Grant Balfour and Street. The two prospects who could join the Mets relatively soon, according to sources, are lefty Josh Edgin and righty Elvin Ramirez. Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/ny-mets-pursue-relievers-bullpen-including-san-diego-padres-houston-street-brad-lidge-article-1.1105323#ixzz1zI54XCFm

[Edgy MD]

Where the heck is Beato?

Gary, if you're reading, listen, as this team's bullpen hasn't performed up to what they've hoped since 2006 (when Willie routinely used his Heilman, Sanchez, and Mota for two innings at a time), please tell somebody in management that it isn't the makeup but the usage. Experience in New York? Please! Stop the madness.

It'd be fine to have another capable arm, but I have little reason to believe that arm isn't attached to Beato, Ramirez, and Edgin rather than a veteran with a choice makeup.

[Ceetar]

Edgy DC wrote: Where the heck is Beato? Gary, if you're reading, listen, as this team's bullpen hasn't performed up to what they've hoped since 2006 (when Willie routinely used his Heilman, Sanchez, and Mota for two innings at a time), please tell somebody in management that it isn't the makeup but the usage. Experience in New York? Please! Stop the madness. It'd be fine to have another capable arm, but I have little reason to believe that arm isn't attached to Beato, Ramirez, and Edgin rather than a veteran with a choice makeup.

I agree, Beato, Ramirez, edgin, etc. (even Meija/Harvey/Wheeler?) could help the pitching, which hasn't been bad (it's been above average in June) lately.

I'm curious to see how Collins starts to handle things in August and September as they remain competitive. Does he go into "You've earned my trust, I'm gonna push you" mode with guys like Parnell, and only use Batista for crap innings?

[nymr83]

"Experience in New York" means "Motherfucking Yankee Reject" right?

[Edgy MD]

To the extent that you take seriously a "perhaps" from "major league executives with direct knowledge of their thinking," I would say that, yes, that does imply that they are looking for a player with a track record of motherfucking.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Beato (Buffalo): 15 games, 21 IP, 18/8 K/BB, 16 H, 2 HR, 1.29 ERA.

[Edgy MD]

A few names that strike me are also ex-motherhelpers from the Mets as well: Luis Ayala and Raul Valdes.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Street and Bob Geren = not the best of pals.

[Edgy MD]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Beato (Buffalo): 15 games, 21 IP, 18/8 K/BB, 16 H, 2 HR, 1.29 ERA.

Get him into my kitchen.

[seawolf17]

Nymr83 wrote: "Experience in New York" means "Motherfucking Yankee Reject" right?

Considering that half their staff right now is Mets rejects, that's not heartening.

The Mariners have a kid in the bullpen now, a lefty. Just called him up. Five and a third innings, five hits, one run, two walks, and six Ks. Could probably come cheap.

[Edgy MD]

The Mets are just as likely to get that sort of performance calling up a kid of their own.

[ashie62]

Edgy DC wrote: The Mets are just as likely to get that sort of performance calling up a kid of their own.

I don't know about the "just as likely" part. Doesn't hurt to look everywhere.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I don't mind a multi-pronged approach. Bring up some kids, sign a veteran or two from the scrap heap; make a small-scale deal... The more options you have for the bullpen the more likely someone will work out.

[Ceetar]

It's also possible Ramon Ramirez reverts to being the excellent reliever he's been for most of his career.

[Edgy MD]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I don't mind a multi-pronged approach. Bring up some kids, sign a veteran or two from the scrap heap; make a small-scale deal... The more options you have for the bullpen the more likely someone will work out.

Sure, but you only have seven slots --- four (or more) of which are pretty well nailed down.

[Frayed Knot]

btw, it's not clear from the reading if everyone here was in on where Seawolf was going there with his description of the Mariners' recent pen acquisition -- "a lefty. Just called him up. Five and a third innings, five hits, one run, two walks, and six Ks. Could probably come cheap." -- but it's a reference to one Oliver Perez.

IOW, all that glitters is not necessarily gold.

[Ceetar]

Frayed Knot wrote: btw, it's not clear from the reading if everyone here was in on where Seawolf was going there with his description of the Mariners' recent pen acquisition -- "a lefty. Just called him up. Five and a third innings, five hits, one run, two walks, and six Ks. Could probably come cheap." -- but it's a reference to one Oliver Perez. IOW, all that glitters is not necessarily gold.

and a clear reason why not to overreact to small sample sizes, whether or not they're on our team.

[Edgy MD]

Missed that.

Too busy being annoying with my agenda.

Go, Ollie!

[Edgy MD]

Big scary Jonathan Broxton being shopped by the Royals (Los Reales). Paired with Rauch, our bullpen could really corner the market on terror.

[seawolf17]

Can the Wilpons afford that much uniform?

[smg58]

Wilton Lopez of the Astros has very quietly been rock solid for the Astros for three years running. He'd be the first guy I'd ask about.

The Padres bought low on Street, and are now in a good position to sell high. Hopefully not too high if we wind up buying.

Lidge on a wait-and-see minor league deal makes some sense.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

MLBtraderumors.com reports that J.C. Romero has been released from a minor league deal. From the site:

After signing on with the Orioles the 35-year-old posted a 2.51 ERA with 8.2 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 in 14 1/3 innings (17 appearances) at Norfolk.

If they don't have faith in Edgin, Romero might be worth a look as a disposable LOOGY.

[Edgy MD]

I think "Disposable Loogy" was a King Missile song.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

After a few hours of searching the minors,
and calling every GM I could think of,
I was starting to get very depressed,
so I went to Tai Pan, and grabbed some breakfast.
As I walked down Roosevelt Avenue towards Corona,
where all those people sell tacos and fake soccer jerseys on the street,
I saw my LOOGY hanging on a food truck
next to a sign advertising waxy-looking Mexican tortas.
Some guy was selling him for cheap.
I had to buy him off the guy.
He wanted McHugh, but I talked him down to Carson.
I took it to the park, hosed the ex-Philly stink off,
and put it on the roster. DFAed Schwinden again. Cool.
People sometimes tell me I should offer him a multi-year deal,
but I don't know.
Even though sometimes it's a pain in the ass,
I like having a disposable LOOGY.

Edited July 10, 2012 by Guest

[Guest Swan Swan H]

King Missile of cool.

[Edgy MD]

DIS-POS-A-BLE LOOGEEE!

DIS-POS-A-BLE LOOGEEE!

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Street clearing Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11-2. Alternate side parking is in effect.

Padres closer Huston Street said he could �clear the air� with Mets bench coach Bob Geren if a trade sends him to New York this summer, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. "If I get to the Mets, that'll be the first bug I go squash,'' Street said. The right-hander called Geren his �least favorite person� in sports following their time with the Athletics.

As reported on mlbtraderumors.com.

[Frayed Knot]

Every time I see this thread I read it as: Bullpen ... HELP!

[smg58]

Brian Fuentes just got released by Oakland. He's been terrible so far this season, but he has a history of being streaky and he'd be worth a minor-league deal to see if he can get his groove back.

I wonder if Street's relationship with Geren played a role in the Mets not looking at him in the winter. The Rockies dealt him to the Padres for a marginal prospect while eating payroll. The Padres basically have him for $7M this year, plus a team option for $9M.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Interesting thought re: Fuentes... but he's a guy without a real platoon split (.287 opponent wOBA vs. lefties, .302 opponent wOBA vs. lefties), and has been intermittently shitty for the last half-decade, not just this year.