Roster 2014

[MFS62]

Here's a list of some players who will be exposed to the Rule V draft unless they are protected by being added to the 40 man roster.

http://tpgmets.blogspot.com/p/rule-5.html

Later

[Edgy MD]

Guys They Probably Feel They Can Remove Without Sweating:
Centeno
Hefner (is that allowed?)
Henn

Guys They Might Sweat a Little Over, but Se la Vie if He Goes
Baxter
Brown
Carson
Quintanilla
Torres
Valdespin

Guys They Might Roll the Dice on by Removing, but Hate It if He Gets Selected
Robles

So that's about six spots they can open, plus one that's open already.

Players They'll Add to Those Seven Slots
Bennett
Ceceliano
DeGrom
Huchingson
Kolarek
Sandoval
Walters

Most Likely Players To Be Selected
Cohoon
Dykstra
Valdespin

[Edgy MD]

On the other hand, what's the point of exposing Hefner? If a team grabs him, they can store him on the DL all season.

[Edgy MD]

Juan Urbina --- there's a much lauded prospect, but one who hasn't done much of anything yet, and hasn't advanced beyond Brooklyn. Suddenly, he's been around long enough to be Rule V eligible. Do the Mets look to protect him?

OE: Matz too!

[Vic Sage]

Here is my understanding of the current 40-man roster (48, with 60day-DL guys), and my notes on who we should keep, drop and add:

[u:zp3ynok7]current active pitchers (10)[/u:zp3ynok7]
Niese - yes
Wheeler - yes
Torres - yes (useful)
Black - yes (could close)
Familia - probably (if healthy)
German - maybe (not a lock)
Robles - possibly (disappointing year)
Burke - no (bad)
Carson - no (bad)
Henn - no (bad)

[u:zp3ynok7]Current active players (14):[/u:zp3ynok7]
d`Anaud - yes
Recker - probably
Centeno - maybe (Recker or Centeno could be backup, but may only keep 1)
Wright - yes
Flores - yes
Satin - probably (good platoon partner, UT)
Lutz - maybe (not as good as Satin)
Tovar - maybe (can't hit)
Lagares - yes (they like his D)
Puello - yes (good prospect)
Brown - maybe (did some good things)
DenDekker - maybe (useful; flawed)
Neiuwenheis - maybe (ditto)
Valdespin - possibly (wore out welcome?)

[u:zp3ynok7]60 Day DL (8) (must be added back onto 40-man within 5 days of end of WS)[/u:zp3ynok7]
Harvey - yes (then will go back on 60-man DL, opening up another slot next year)
Hefner - yes (ditto)
Mejia - yes (starter)
Parnell (arb eligible) - yes (closer)
Davis (arb eligible) - probably (I doubt they'll just non-tender him)
Edgin - maybe (they still like him i think, but he's replaceable)
Rice - maybe (he was overused, but mostly ok)
Santana - no

[u:zp3ynok7]Arb-eligible (9, in addition to Ike and Parnell):[/u:zp3ynok7]
Gee - yes
Murphy - yes
Young - yes (leading off until further notice)
Duda - probably (like Davis, i don't think they're ready to just give him up)
Tejada - probably (they have no other SS options at this point)
Turner - maybe (paying arb price for a utility player?)
Baxter - possibly (his roster spot is worth more than his play)
Quintanilla - no
Atchison - no

[u:zp3ynok7]Free agents (7):[/u:zp3ynok7]
Matsuzaka - maybe (they need another SP)
Hawkins - possibly (good year... too good. Price will exceed his value)
Feliciano - possibly (sentimentality?)
Harang - no
Aardsma - no
Byrdak - no
Francisco - no

[u:zp3ynok7]Projected 40-man roster so far (x = 25-man roster):[/u:zp3ynok7]

SP [7] -
x-Niese
x-Wheeler
x-Gee
x-Mejia
x-Matsuzaka
Matt Harvey (DL)
Jeremy Hefner (DL)

RP [8] -
x-Parnell
x-Black
x-Familia
x-Torres
x-Edgin
x-Rice
x-German
Robles

C [3]-
x-d`Anaud
x-Recker
Centeno

IF [8]-
x-Wright
x-Davis
x-Murphy
x-Tejada
x-Satin
x-Turner
Flores
Tovar

OF [6] -
x-Lagares
x-Young
x-Duda
x-Brown
x-DenDekker or Nieuwenheis
Puello

[u:zp3ynok7]minor leaguers added [5]:[/u:zp3ynok7]
Steven Matz (LSP)
Jacob deGrom (RSP)
Darin Gorski (LRP)
Jeff Walters (RRP)
Cory Vaughn (OF)

[u:zp3ynok7]Players optioned to minors, cut, non-tendered, or 2014 option not picked up [10]:[/u:zp3ynok7]
Santana (buyout)
Harang (buyout)
Atchison (non-tendered)
Quintanilla (non-tendered)
Henn (released)
Burke (optioned)
Carson (optioned)
Baxter (optioned)
Valdespin (optioned)
DenDekker or Nieuwenheis (optioned)

[u:zp3ynok7]FAs not re-signed [5]:[/u:zp3ynok7]
Hawkins
Aardsma
Byrdak
Feliciano
Francisco

TOTAL ROSTER = 37 [35, when Harvey and Hefner go back on 60-DL)

[u:zp3ynok7]Guys still on the bubble:[/u:zp3ynok7]
Matsuzaka
Hefner
Edgin
Rice
Germen
Robles
Recker
Centeno
Davis
Duda
Turner
Lutz
Tovar
Brown
den Dekker
Nieuwenhuis

[u:zp3ynok7]Other key "Rule V-eligible" minor leaguers:[/u:zp3ynok7]
Goeddel
Ceciliani
Cesa
Maron
Kolarek
Huchingson
A.Rodriguez
Dykstra
Bennett
Sandoval
Cohoon

[MFS62]

Edgy MD wrote: Juan Urbina --- there's a much lauded prospect, but one who hasn't done much of anything yet, and hasn't advanced beyond Brooklyn. Suddenly, he's been around long enough to be Rule V eligible. Do the Mets look to protect him? OE: Matz too!

Matz missed a lot of time (more than one year?) due to arm surgery.
But this year he seemed to have recovered his stuff and should be back on the top prospect lists. I'd keep him.
Another guy I'd like to see them keep is Aderlin Rodriguez.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=rodrig001ade

He's shown good power, without a lot of strikeouts, while playing in some pitcher friendly [parks/ leagues. He was hurt this year, and part of the prior year. That may have stopped him from being drafted last year. From his defensive numbers it looks like he would benefit from a full time move to first base. I feel he would be taken early if left exposed to the Rule V draft. He will be playing in the Arizona Fall League. I'm not sure if he will play enough on that shared team to show if he should or shouldn't be kept.

Later

[Edgy MD]

It's not a question of keeping, though. Not adding a guy to your 40-man roster shouldn't be understood as discarding a player, or expressing a disinterest in keeping him.

[MFS62]

Edgy MD wrote: It's not a question of keeping, though. Not adding a guy to your 40-man roster shouldn't be understood as discarding a player, or expressing a disinterest in keeping him.

By "kept" I meant protected.
Just because a player isn't added to the 40 man roster, it doesn't mean he is lost. The article I linked shows several players who were exposed to the Rule V Draft last year, were not taken, and were resigned to minor league contracts to remain in the organization this year.

Later

[MFS62]

MF reported about Carson being claimed by the Angels in her "remember" thread, Metsblog also announced that the Mets also announced today that LHP Sean Henn and RHP Greg Burke were outrighted.
Also heard that the other Los Angeles team had claimed Mike Baxter from the Mets. Waiting for confirmation.

Is it still a rule that teams must wait until after the World Series to make moves? MLB put the rule in a few years ago so news about moves wouldn't take attention from the post-season games.

Later

Edited October 17, 2013 by Guest

[Guest themetfairy]

Adam Rubin confirms the loss of Baxter

[Frayed Knot]

MFS62 wrote: Is it still a rule that teams must wait until after the World Series to make moves? MLB put the rule in a few years ago so news about moves wouldn't take attention from the post-season games.

I don't know that it's a written rule so much as it is a request from the Commish's office not to make attention-grabbing moves that would take attention away from playoff baseball.
The original incident was, of course, instituted in response to Steinbrenner announcing a hiring (or was it firing?) of Billy Martin on the day of a World Series Game 7 figuring that if his team wasn't good enough to get the headlines in October then he'd bump the WS off the back pages of the newspapers in the largest city in the country with off the field news.
Not surprisingly, the Steinbrenner for HoF backers conveniently tend to forget stuff like this when listing his "contributions" to the sport.

[Edgy MD]

One of the more dramatic parts of this purging is that it really strips down their pitching staff to the bare bones. They are left with exactly 14 pitchers on the roster, and that includes St. Lucie's own Hansel Robles, who I'm adding only to keep a spot warm for whoever they end up bringing in or putting on the roster later.

They are also left with only one bullpen lefty, whereas they finished the season with five or so.

Something's cookin'. Dunno what.

[Edgy MD]

Interesting that everybody fleeing the coop is a pitcher. Gives them a chance for a reset, I guess, and a chance for rookies to push against veterans for spots. But they're probably going to have to sign at least one guaranteed vet to a multi-year deal, if only relatively modestly so.

[Edgy MD]

Some guys remain Met property if they're removed from the roster, so long a they clear waivers.

Other guys don't.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

WIth an average age like that, the roster is starting to look like it would have trouble renting a car.

[Edgy MD]

Minor League Free Agents

Triple-A:
RHP Giancarlo Alvarado, RHP Greg Burke, RHP Matt Fox, RHP D.J. Mitchell, RHP Daryl Thompson, RHP Cory Wade, LHP Justin Hampson, C Francisco Pena, SS Brian Bixler, SS Brandon Hicks, and OF Jamie Hoffmann.
Double-A:
RHP Dylan Owen, RHP Armando Rodriguez, C Jeyckol De Leon, SS Josh Rodriguez, 1B Rhyne Hughes, and 3B Richard Lucas.

I see them pursuing (at least Burke) and trying to bring back Pena, De Leon and maybe Rodriguez and Lucas.

Wasn't Armando Rodriguez a half a prospect once upon?

[seawolf17]

Speaking of failed prospects, Francisco Pena.

[Edgy MD]

Well, Pena's unerwhelming performance goes well back into the Omar era. In fact, while his failure seemed a fait accompli two years ago, the last two seasons he's shown just enough puncher's power, just enough plate discipline and just enough defensive aptitude to sort of edge back into the picture as at least a potential backup.

Anyhow, that's why I'm thinking he gets re-signed. Won't take a great performance to fashion a better career than his brother.

[seawolf17]

And he's only 23.

[Edgy MD]

That didn't take long to revert back to the previous thingie. I wonder what makes a guy jump at a minor league offer so early in the process. I guess having an ERA that precludes a major league offer makes you happy to grab a deal that's offered you, but there were reportedly at least three teams interested in him. He was clearly a top target for a minor league deal.

I guess a team's interest can dry up pretty quickly, and they few qualms about quickly moving on to the next targer when it comes to offering minor league contracts.

[Edgy MD]

Meet the newest fringey Met. Don't bother trying to find a wife, fellas. He's single. And ladies, well, he's single.

Go, Joel, go!!

[MFS62]

Another invitee:

New York MetsVerified account ? @ Mets # Mets signed utility man Anthony Seratelli to a minor league contract. He will be invited to MLB Spring Training.

Later

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

30 year old Seton Hall guy, switch hitter, played all 4 infield and RF/LF in the minors for the Royals org. Hits singles & draws walks.

[Edgy MD]

And all that makes it a sobering day for Brian Bixler.

[MFS62]

New York MetsVerified account ? @ Mets # Mets add LHP Steven Matz & RHPs Jeff Walters, Jacob deGrom and Erik Goeddel to their 40-man roster. Mets 40-man roster is at 40.

Later

[metirish]

New York Mets ?@Mets 10m

The #Mets have signed RHP Miguel Socolovich to a minor league contract with an invitation to Major League Spring Training.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Anthony DiComo, MLB.com wrote: Mets shield former top pick Matz from Rule 5 Draft Southpaw joined by righties Walters, deGrom, Goeddel on 40-man roster NEW YORK -- Coming off a season in which he reestablished himself on the prospect map, former Mets top pick Steven Matz is now guaranteed to continue his comeback with the organization that drafted him. The Mets added Matz to their 40-man roster on Wednesday, along with right-handers Jeff Walters, Jacob deGrom and Erik Goeddel, protecting those players from being selected in next month's Rule 5 Draft. Major League regulations stipulate that any player who signed his first professional contract before age 19 and has been in the organization for five seasons, or who signed after age 19 and has been in the organization for four seasons, is eligible to be selected in the Rule 5 Draft if he's not on the 40-man roster. Thus, players such as Matz must be protected, while more recently drafted prospects such as Brandon Nimmo and Gavin Cecchini are safe. If selected, a player must remain on his new team's active roster or disabled list all season, or be offered back to his original club for half of the original $50,000 selection fee. The Mets made one selection in last year's Rule 5 Draft, plucking left-hander Kyle Lobstein from the Rays and immediately flipping him to the Tigers for cash. The Mets' protection decisions were less obvious this year than last November, when they added Zack Wheeler and five others to the 40-man roster. Four of those six wound up appearing in the Majors. Matz, a second-round selection and the Mets' first pick in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft, did not make his professional debut until '12 due to left elbow issues that led to Tommy John surgery. He dominated down the stretch that season, however, and picked up where he left off with a 2.62 ERA, 121 strikeouts and 38 walks in 106 1/3 innings this year for Class A Savannah. He later tacked on 12 2/3 shutout innings with 17 strikeouts and two walks in the South Atlantic League playoffs. The Stony Brook, N.Y., native is still only 22 years old and could rise rapidly up the Minor League ranks this summer, provided he can stay healthy. deGrom, 25, nearly earned a September callup after going 7-7 with a 4.51 ERA over three Minor League levels, advancing from Class A St. Lucie all the way to Triple-A Las Vegas. The Mets' 19th-ranked prospect, deGrom could compete for a rotation spot as soon as this spring. Walters, 26, led the Minor Leagues with 38 saves, five more than the next-closest pitcher. He accumulated all of them at Double-A Binghamton, posting a 2.09 ERA in 56 innings while priming himself for a big league debut at some point in 2014. Goeddel, 24, went 9-7 with a 4.37 ERA in 25 starts for Binghamton, striking out 125 batters with 58 walks in 134 innings. He could open next season as high as at Las Vegas, potentially alongside blue-chip prospects Noah Syndergaard and Rafael Montero at the top of the rotation. Some of the higher-profile players the Mets left unprotected are left-hander Chase Huchingson, who is currently serving a 50-game suspension for a second violation of Minor League Baseball's drug policy, and outfielder Cory Vaughn, who batted .252 with 10 homers over three levels this season. The Mets' 40-man roster now stands at 40, meaning they will need to make cuts once they begin acquiring free agents. Infielder Jordany Valdespin and reliever Scott Atchison are among the Mets who could be at risk.

[Edgy MD]

metirish wrote: New York Mets ?@Mets 10m The #Mets have signed RHP Miguel Socolovich to a minor league contract with an invitation to Major League Spring Training.

Clearly the Wilpons pandering here to Flushing's large Yugoslav-Venezuealan community.

[Edgy MD]

Well, they're set on outfield defense.

Not a lot of big league starts on their roster beyond Niese and Gee. Wheeler has 17. Torres has 15. Mejia has 11. A little more than a season's worth among them.

No room left on their roster, which suggests to me that their next transacton looks like a trade. I may be overthinking that.

[Edgy MD]

Hey! You know who woke up with smiles on their faces this morning? Josh Satin and Freddie Tovar, that's who. Them's your new favorites to be Mets infield subs. One for offense and one for defense. Happy Hannukah, men.