Let's talk about Bronson Arroyo

[Benjamin Grimm]

Current reports indicate that the Mets are getting serious about locking down Arroyo. Here's Adam Rubin:

Source: Mets eye Bronson Arroyo Updated: November 30, 2013, 6:46 PM ET By Adam Rubin | ESPNNewYork.com NEW YORK -- New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson plans to meet with right-hander Bronson Arroyo at the free-agent pitcher's Tampa, Fla., home during the upcoming week, a baseball source told ESPNNewYork.com. Alderson, who has spent the holiday weekend in Maryland, touched base with Arroyo's representatives Wednesday to try to arrange a face-to-face meeting. Alderson has met in person with at least two free agents so far this offseason -- shortstop Jhonny Peralta and outfielder Chris Young. ... How serious the Mets' inquiry with Arroyo will be remains to be seen, since they have been averse to committing to large contracts in recent years. In fact, the largest contract Alderson has given to a free agent in four offseasons as GM is a now-expired two-year, $12 million deal to former closer Frank Francisco. A baseball source told ESPNNewYork.com that Arroyo seeks a three-year deal, but may ultimately accept a two-year offer with a vesting option for 2016. The Mets particularly need rotation help because right-hander Matt Harvey is due to miss next season recovering from Tommy John surgery. Ideally, the Mets would add two starting pitchers from outside the organization, to pair with Jonathon Niese, Zack Wheeler and Dillon Gee. That would allow upper-level pitching prospects Noah Syndergaard, Rafael Montero and Jacob deGrom to open the season at Triple-A Las Vegas. Arroyo, 36, went 14-12 with a 3.79 ERA in 202 innings with the Cincinnati Reds this past season. Since 2005, Arroyo has logged the third-most innings in the majors (1,895 2/3), trailing only CC Sabathia (1,999 1/3) and Dan Haren (1,927 2/3). While Alderson hopes to meet with Arroyo during the upcoming week in Tampa, a source indicated the meeting may be pushed back to the following week, when the winter meetings will be held in nearby Orlando, Fla. SB Nation first reported a potential meeting between Alderson and Arroyo.

[Edgy MD]

Bronson would join Trot Nixon, Pedro Martinez, and Brian Daubach among 2004 Red Sox to later come to the Mets.

[smg58]

One one hand, I think the Mets still have much greater needs in the outfield and at shortstop. On the other hand, there's nothing wrong with him and I wouldn't object to him signing on.

[Benjamin Grimm]

While they certainly have needs for position players, there's no denying that they also need a starting pitcher or two. As of now, their rotation is Niese, Gee, and Wheeler.

[Guest 86-Dreamer]

Durable, consistently effective and a style that fits the ballpark. I hope they sign him. . Haren got 1 year/$10. I think Arroyo's durability gets him the second year at around the same annual value.

[Mex17]

Multiple reports are indicating that the Mets are to get more aggressive in pursuing Arroyo. Could be wrong, but this tells me that there may be a deal (or multiple deals) on the table that they like involving Montero.

An Arroyo signing can set the rotation up this way:

Arroyo
Niece
Gee
Wheeler
Mejia
-deGrom, Torres, and veteran minor league contract type serving as immediate backups
-Syndergaard waiting in the wings

This would free up Montero to go in the right package. I am thinking Davis/Murphy/Montero for either Cespedes/Lowrie or Markakis/Hardy? Are those too far fetched?

Then, if those moves are made, my thought is. . .just maybe. . .the positive momentum from them could lead to the purse stings being opened for Cruz or Granderson?

I'm crossing my fingers.

[Edgy MD]

You 're probably looking too many steps down the road, and for what it's worth, I think Niese still clocks in as the Mets' number one, but yeah.

[Zvon]

Edgy MD wrote: I think Niese still clocks in as the Mets' number one, but yeah.

Agree with that as it stands now.

I like how I read that other teams are signing and re-signing players and the story for the Mets is "Mets Plan To Talk To Someone".

Get this done Sandy.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Signing Arroyo would fill a hole, not create an excess. It wouldn't necessarily be linked to the Mets dealing a pitcher.

[Edgy MD]

Certainly. It would bump out deGrom as the number five starter. The current number four is Mejia, and it's far from certain that he'll be ready to be a viable part of a big league rotation April 1 or thereafter. VBLSs are definitely a need.

[Frayed Knot]

Rule #1 about pitching -- there's no such thing as having too much
Rule #2 -- if you do have too much, see Rule 1

[smg58]

I'll go on record saying I'm more comfortable with Mejia and Montero filling out the rotation than I am with our current outfield (Chris Young included). Naturally it doesn't have to be an "either or" as far as what we can improve on, but none of us really knows how much the Mets have to spend, and Young and Arroyo's combined salaries would get us one of the front-end outfielders.

Not that I'm against adding pitching depth (FK expressed it well), but I'd be looking for 6th stater/long relief types unless I knew I could load up the outfield AND still have significant resources left over to address pitching. Like I've said before, Montero has more AAA experience than Wheeler did at the time of his call-up and pitched significantly better than Wheeler at Vegas. And Mejia pitched very well for us last year while dealing with an injury. Health remains a concern with Mejia, of course, but I don't think of him as a minor-leaguer at this point.

[Edgy MD]

smg58 wrote: I'll go on record saying I'm more comfortable with Mejia and Montero filling out the rotation than I am with our current outfield (Chris Young included).

Maybe you're right. The problem is that attrition hits much harder in pitching rotations than in outfield units. You've got to get durable vets in place and prepare the rookies to jump in the breach when they fail or go down. Throwing a surfeit of the young and unestablished right out there is a precipitous decision.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Not so fast...

Adam Rubin wrote: NEW YORK -- Shortly after a source indicated New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson planned to meet with free-agent right-hander Bronson Arroyo at the pitcher's home or at the winter meetings, a team official downplayed the interest, saying the club is "not super high" on Arroyo. The team source said the Mets now may or may not meet with the pitcher. Alderson had spoken on Wednesday with agent Terry Bross, expressing interest in setting up an in-person chat at the pitcher's home or at the winter meetings.

[Edgy MD]

Terry Bross!

(Do we have an answer yet on whether he's one of the pitchers with the best WAR/IP?)

[Benjamin Grimm]

smg58 wrote: I'll go on record saying I'm more comfortable with Mejia and Montero filling out the rotation than I am with our current outfield (Chris Young included). Naturally it doesn't have to be an "either or" as far as what we can improve on, but none of us really knows how much the Mets have to spend, and Young and Arroyo's combined salaries would get us one of the front-end outfielders. Not that I'm against adding pitching depth (FK expressed it well), but I'd be looking for 6th stater/long relief types unless I knew I could load up the outfield AND still have significant resources left over to address pitching. Like I've said before, Montero has more AAA experience than Wheeler did at the time of his call-up and pitched significantly better than Wheeler at Vegas. And Mejia pitched very well for us last year while dealing with an injury. Health remains a concern with Mejia, of course, but I don't think of him as a minor-leaguer at this point.

The problem is the innings limits. Wheeler and Montero (and Syndergaard) won't be allowed to pitch enough innings to get them through the season. I'm not sure, but I think Mejia will also fall into that category. They're going to have to find somebody. It doesn't have to be an expensive multi-year guy like Arroyo (that's at least arguable) but the way I see it, right now Gee and Niese (and maybe Torres) are the only starters who can pitch from April through the end of September. And of course, there's no guarantee that any of them will be able to do that either. There are a lot of innings to be eaten, and not enough diners at this point.

[MFS62]

8:47 am: The Mets are not super high on Arroyo, and a meeting may never take place, according to a team official (Rubin).

8:40 am: The Mets are interested in meeting with Arroyo, but they have yet to set up a meeting with him or his agent (Cafardo).

Dueling Bloggers.
Wasn't that the theme song from Deliverance?

Later

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Oh, I bet Sandy will take a dinner meeting anyway, if only to meet Terry Bross and Arroyo's co-representative, Chad Kroeger of Nickelback.

[ashie62]

8:47 am: The Mets are not super high on Arroyo, and a meeting may never take place, according to a team official (Rubin). 8:40 am: The Mets are interested in meeting with Arroyo, but they have yet to set up a meeting with him or his agent (Cafardo). Dueling Bloggers. Wasn't that the theme song from Deliverance? Later

Bloggers speak with forked tongue...

[Edgy MD]

Guys, with much love for my blogging brothers and sisters, those guys are professional baseball writers from major metropolitan newspapers.

[Edgy MD]

By the way, Terry Bross is something of a pimp.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

I remember hearing that about Uggla... I had no idea it was Bross-related. Ha.