Shaun Marcums the Spot

[G-Fafif]

The Mets sign a major league pitcher. Wonders cease, presses stopped.

[G-Fafif]

Per Heyman report, btw.

[metirish]

Who is the ML pitcher

[smg58]

This is excellent news. Marcum (assuming he's healthy, naturally) will be solid.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

And unlike Young, if he's "healthy," he'll likely stay healthy for at least, say, 15-20 starts in a row. (No offense, Eating Club.)

[Gwreck]

I like this signing.

[Ceetar]

Chris Young was always said to have 'deceptive velocity' on his slow fastball. Marcum is only 6foot, but throws about as hard, so what's going to be the spin for why he gets guys out (and better than Young)?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Hmm ... veteran nibbler, ex-Brewer, "knows how to pitch," overcoming arm trouble, wears No. 18 ...

Welcome back, Jeff D'Amico!

[TransMonk]

I like this signing, too. We could do (and have done) worse.

[Edgy MD]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Hmm ... veteran nibbler, ex-Brewer, "knows how to pitch," overcoming arm trouble, wears No. 18 ... Welcome back, Jeff D'Amico!

Of course, Jeff D'Amico could eat Shaun Marcum and still have room for dessert.

Consistent pitcher.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Not to mention that this opens a whole pocket realm of "excitement"-related praise for IGTs.

[Vic Sage]

i like this move.

Marcum is often hurt (bad mechanics leading to TJ surgery on 09, plus chronic elbow problems since), but when he's available, he's pretty good. He's better than Young, certainly. Perhaps they'll sign Young, too, and build 1 SPer out of the pair of them. They only have to last until Wheeler is ready mid-season.

[Edgy MD]

In addition to Wheeler, they'll have a handful of guys at AAA --- McHugh, Familia, Wheeler, Mejia, Hefner --- competing for a chance to crack that rotation, most with some MLB experience, most with notable upside. They needed a veteran to help hold the rotation down until one of those guys turned the corner, and Marcum is better than I thought they'd get.

Now, if they could get somebody to put Dillon Gee's feet to the fire as well, that'd be nice.

[Centerfield]

I have no idea who Shaun Marcum is. But I'm on board for liking this move because lots of other smart people think so, and I like to publicly agree with smart people when I don't know enough to have an opinion of my own.

So for the record, fuck yeah I like this move.

[Benjamin Grimm]

That's pretty much where I am too. I had never heard of the guy either, but it's great to have him!

[Frayed Knot]

I like the move because it increases by one the variations of the ways NYM players spell that name
Shaun Marcum
Shawon Dunston
Sean Green
Shawn Green

It may have even pushed it ahead of Jeremy/Geremi/Jeromy

[Edgy MD]

I believe "Shaun" was already on file with "Shaun Fitzmaurice."

Chone Figgins, still out there.

[Ceetar]

btw, Kudos on the thread title.

[Vic Sage]

Centerfield wrote: I have no idea who Shaun Marcum is. But I'm on board for liking this move because lots of other smart people think so, and I like to publicly agree with smart people when I don't know enough to have an opinion of my own. So for the record, fuck yeah I like this move.

i only know him cuz i picked him up for my fantasy team a few years ago, coming off the TJ surgery, and he did well for me. i remember things like that. a guy performs for me, he has my gratitude. until he shits the bed, at which point i burn him to the ground.

[bmfc1]

Good move, low risk/high reward.

[nymr83]

Love the move. These are the type of guys you need to take a shot on.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Vic Sage wrote: Centerfield wrote: I have no idea who Shaun Marcum is. But I'm on board for liking this move because lots of other smart people think so, and I like to publicly agree with smart people when I don't know enough to have an opinion of my own. So for the record, fuck yeah I like this move. i only know him cuz i picked him up for my fantasy team a few years ago, coming off the TJ surgery, and he did well for me. i remember things like that. a guy performs for me, he has my gratitude. until he shits the bed, at which point i burn him to the ground.

Same. I've found that, in general, fantasy tends to increase my knowledge of the current player base-- and their roles on their teams-- a hundredfold. Sometimes, fantasy research helps, too.

He handled an AL East rotation spot reasonably well for a while, and has done damn well in home parks that don't favor his flyball-heaviness (Rogers and Miller both tend to lean toward big-fly-happy). Hell, if he's at all right physically, he may exceed his contract value even IF he just puts up 20 starts.

[smg58]

$4M, plus incentives. I'll take it, happily.

[Lefty Specialist]

Somehow it often seems that when a majority of Met fans like a particular move, it turns out badly. Not all the time, mind you, but often enough that it's statistically significant. I hope Marcum does well, but I just get the feeling he'll fracture David Wright's wrist while shaking his hand, or some such.

I dunno, maybe I need to up the Xanax in my coffee.

[TransMonk]

I'm going to need an example (or three). I can't remember a majority of Mets fans agreeing to like much recently as far as roster moves are concerned.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Well, don't count me as over the moon. I mean, I'm in favor of gathering in all the arms a team can, but I have some doubts that an injured slowball pitcher is going to attain a real significant upside.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

TransMonk wrote: I'm going to need an example (or three). I can't remember a majority of Mets fans agreeing to like much recently as far as roster moves are concerned.

The Putz trade?

[Edgy MD]

John Rocker's downfall?

I think my dream of a warm consensus being possible among Mets fans died when I heard folks chanting for Miguel Cairo to be inserted into the lineup.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Johan trade-and-sign.

[Edgy MD]

Marcum deal looking even better after finding out the Mets had been simultaneously sniffing around Carl Pavano, who just ruptured his spellen shoveling snow, according to the red-hot Ken Rosenthal.