We. Still. Need. Outfielders.

[Mex17]

Who are they?

Where are they?

How do we get them?

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

That's the things you need when you're climbing up a mountain, and need to clip into the rocks, right? An athletics store, I'd imagine.

Hairston's got to be more likely to re-sign, now that that asshole Dickey's out of the clubhouse, right?

[Ceetar]

And no one told Sandy?!

[Guest Swan Swan H]

The list of unsigned FA outfielders, RH batters only. There's one switch hitter available but he's too expensive, and anyway I'd drink bleach before I cheered for Nick Swisher.

Jeff Baker
Mark DeRosa
Matt Diaz
Ben Francisco
Scott Hairston
Austin Kearns
Darnell McDonald
Ryan Raburn
Juan Rivera
Cody Ross
Delmon Young

Yeesh. Ross, according to MLB Trade Rumors, is probably looking for 2 years, around $13-14M. Diaz and Rivera look like they're done, Kearns was done a few years ago, Young is a DH who never walks, and the rest are utility types. Hairy put up 1.5 WAR in 2012, just .1 less than Ross, and they're the same age. If wants to come back and isn't looking for a crazy deal, why not?

[Mex17]

Here we go. . .

http://www.amazinavenue.com/2012/12/14/3537138/2013-new-york-mets-outfield-trade-los-angeles-angels-anaheim-rumors-bourjos-trumbo-hamilton

Bourjos for some lower-level minor leaguer (like Mazzoni or Tapia) and then sign Ross for something like 2 years/$14-15 million. It's either that or somehow convince Major League Baseball to waive the requirement that teams need to field three outfielders at any time during the course of a game.

[MFS62]

The Jays have a 23 year old righthanded hitting outfielder named Moises Sierra at AAA. Seems to be ready for at least a shot at the majors.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=sierra001moi

Maybe the Mets can sweeten the pot a bit and get the Jays to add him to the Dickey deal.

Later

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Raburn could be a nice, bargain-y Ross/Hairston alternative. He's coming off a terrible year, but he's .256/.324/.472 vs. righties, career-wise... and plays a passable second and third, along with the corner OF spots.

[nymr83]

Mex17 wrote: It's either that or somehow convince Major League Baseball to waive the requirement that teams need to field three outfielders at any time during the course of a game.

there is no such requirement. we can play 5th infielder Justin Turner right up the middle behind the bag and tell trhe pitching staff to try very hard to induce grounders. But Turner's bat just doesnt make that a fun idea anyway.

[Frayed Knot]

Mex17 wrote: Who are they?

Well if we told you that it wouldn't be a surprise when you unwrapped them on Christmas morning.

Where are they?

At the moment they're at an undisclosed location playing poker with Elvis, Jimmy Hoffa, Kim Jong-Il, Frank Pentangeli, and a bunch of FBI agents.

How do we get them?

'Outfielders R Us' has a nice selection this time of year. Or, if you order through 'Amazon' and their salaries total more than $10 million, you get free shipping.

[ashie62]

MFS62 wrote: The Jays have a 23 year old righthanded hitting outfielder named Moises Sierra at AAA. Seems to be ready for at least a shot at the majors. http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=sierra001moi Maybe the Mets can sweeten the pot a bit and get the Jays to add him to the Dickey deal. Later

That's Ruben Alou's cousin!

[MFS62]

Heard on WFAN this evening that Sandy says his next target is a starting pitcher.
In a rebuilding phase, why not try one of the kids in that spot and concentrate on an outfielder?
(Unless he already has a deal for an outfielder ready to be moved to the front burner)

Later

[smg58]

There are a number of seviceable starters we could get for a one-year deal, and Alderson might be able to act quickly on that front. The outfield will probably take more time, but I hope a decent plan is in place.

[Ceetar]

someone tweeted that a deal is in the works with an OF. but that's been the case since the Winter Meetings so who knows.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I suspect that they'll sign Hairston or Ross, and put whichever one in the outfield with Nieuwenhuis and Duda, who get 2013 to show whether or not they're worth considering as part of the future.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Ceetar wrote: someone tweeted that a deal is in the works with an OF. but that's been the case since the Winter Meetings so who knows.

Mike Puma of the Murdoch Fishwrap, around 11 hours ago:

Mike Puma ?@NYPost_Mets Also, it sounds as if the Mets may have a new OF addition in the next few days. Front office has been working on something. Was only told it's a name that hasn't been linked to the Mets.

[seawolf17]

Saw a post or a tweet somewhere this morning about Coco Crisp. Not the ideal solution, but I'd take him.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Hopefully they'll also throw in Cap'n Crunch.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

seawolf17 wrote: Saw a post or a tweet somewhere this morning about Coco Crisp. Not the ideal solution, but I'd take him.

Why not? Still shows pretty good defensive stats in CF, bats righthanded, 39 SB last year with just 4 CS, one-year left on his contract at $7M with a $7.5M option and a $1M buyout for 2014.

Funny stat - .825 OPS in 81 starts leading off, .547 in 24 starts batting second.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Ceetar wrote: someone tweeted that a deal is in the works with an OF. but that's been the case since the Winter Meetings so who knows.

I'm gonna guess that it will be... Collin Cowgill!

[MFS62]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Ceetar wrote: someone tweeted that a deal is in the works with an OF. but that's been the case since the Winter Meetings so who knows. I'm gonna guess that it will be... Collin Cowgill!

Nice addition as a platoon player, but the thread title is still valid.

Later

[metirish]

There is talk on Twitter about Grady Sizemore.

[MFS62]

metirish wrote: There is talk on Twitter about Grady Sizemore.

IIRC he's still around 30 yrs old.
His performance and playing time dropped off a cliff a few years ago due to injuries.
He last made $5 million, so he may take a lot less to get back into the salary race with a good year or two. Worth a shot.

Later

[Ceetar]

metirish wrote: There is talk on Twitter about Grady Sizemore.

been for a while. I mean, if you want to toss him a minor league contract go for it, but he had microfracture surgery and won't be around until midseason.

[Vic Sage]

cody ross reportedly just signed with the D-Backs for a 3-year deal ($ unknown, but maybe $25m range). It would have been useful to have a RHed .260/20hr/80rbi guy in our OF, but not a 32-year old one on a 3-year deal at over $8M/yr.

So I'm ok with this.

Bring back Hairston, if available for no more than a 2-year deal. Otherwise, its Cowsill as our RHed OFer?

[Frayed Knot]

Yeah, it's a sellers market for these spare OF parts.
Both NYC teams are looking for a RHH-OF types and others are as well, so the odds of holding one of them to a one-year deal are slim.
Hell, the Yanx had to go for two years just to keep Ichiro on board. Hopefully they were tricked into complacency by his brief post-trade surge and have forgotten that he's 39 y/o and that Brett Gardner essentially fills the same role, actually had better stats in 2011 prior to his injury, and is nine years younger.

[ashie62]

At the moment, we have a AAA OF

[Edgy MD]

We have an Achieving Above Awesome outfield.

[Frayed Knot]

LHP-masher Matt Diaz inks a minor league deal w/the Yanx
The good thing --aside from the fact that he's coming off an injury, got only 105 ABs for the Braves last year, and meets the minimum 35 y/o for the current Yanqui roster-- is that this reduces the competition for Scott Hairston by one club. The Yanx apparently balked at Hairston's desire for a 2-year deal.

[Edgy MD]

Diaz is a money suck for his teams of late.

[ashie62]

OK, help me out please...who is the likely starting LF as of now?