Let's Talk about... Corey F. Hart

[Edgy MD]

Seems like he's been around forever, but he's only 31. He had surgery on both knees and missed all of last year, but he hit 30 homers the year before, and that means he's going to get big league money from somebody, but probably not so much so as to preclude additional bigger-ticket shopping by the Mets.

He's a corner outfielder, which is what they need, but with that double knee surgery, he may be gravitating toward first faster than most, and you may have heard something about the Mets having a glut down there.

Any curiosity here? What kind of number would you put on it? I'm thinking $5.5 million with a $12 million option for year two, and maybe a $2.5 million buyout on that option.

Still though. I could get excited over Marlon Byrd. Hard to get worked up over Corey Hart. I don't care how the song goes, signing him feels like surrender.




He's mostly stayed trim, which is good news for the knees, I guess.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

He sorta looks like a right-handed hitting Duda.

Has always been way too tall to be wearing No. 1.

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

Don't switch the blade on the guy in the shades.

[metirish]

Let's talk about the awful thread titles.....

[Edgy MD]

Ow. That really stings.

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

It's interesting that he has the same middle initial as Yadier Molina.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Mike Puma, New York Post wrote: Mets interested in slugger Corey Hart The Mets� intention to �Never Surrender� in their quest for increased home-run production next season has them considering Corey Hart. About a dozen teams have interest in the former All-Star, according to industry sources, and the Mets are among them as they attempt to find legitimate protection for David Wright in the middle of their lineup. But the big question might be whether the Mets view the 31-year-old Hart as a first baseman or outfielder at this point in his career. Hart missed all of last season with the Brewers after undergoing surgery on both knees and there are questions whether he has enough mobility to handle a corner outfield position, even on a part-time basis. Hart batted .270 with 30 homers and 83 RBIs for the Brewers in 2012, splitting the season between first base and the outfield. But he had surgery on his right knee in January, and before returning underwent surgery last summer on the other knee, costing him the entire season. His best year in the major leagues came in 2010, when he batted .283 with 31 homers and 102 RBIs for the Brewers with a .865 OPS. Hart�s price tag likely would be considerably less than the $10 million he earned last year and likely wouldn�t preclude the Mets from pursuing bigger-ticket items such as Jhonny Peralta and Curtis Granderson. But with a glut of first baseman, the Mets could look to trade Ike Davis and Lucas Duda, giving Hart the job outright. According to a club source, the Mets almost certainly will tender a contract to the arbitration-eligible Davis, with the idea he can be used as trade bait if necessary, despite his disastrous 2013 season, a year after he rebounded from an awful first half. But there is still some thought throughout the industry Hart can play the outfield, leaving first base to either Davis or Duda in a potential platoon with Josh Satin. As it stands, the Mets have a serious need in the outfield behind Juan Lagares, who is expected to play center field on an everyday basis. Eric Young Jr. would ideally be part of a platoon in left field for the Mets and right field remains wide open. The internal candidates for outfield jobs include Matt den Dekker, Andrew Brown and Kirk Nieuwenhuis. Another reclamation project, Rafael Furcal, is of interest to the Mets as they seek an upgrade at shortstop. Bronson Arroyo and Phil Hughes are among the starting pitchers the Mets could pursue seriously as they search for a veteran arm in the middle of their rotation.

I think I'd rather see him as a first-baseman, rather than an outfielder although I suppose that if he's playing next to Lagares he won't have to cover as much ground.

[MFS62]

Right Handed hitter - check
Power hitter - check
Outfielder - check - knee injuries, but he would be playing next to Juan, so he might be ok enough..
Strikes out a lot - comes with the home runs - can live with it.

My feelings - I'm OK with signing him if the price is in the range Edgy suggested.

Later

[metirish]

Edgy MD wrote: Ow. That really stings.

Ha!, it's become generic , one thing this place is not.

[smg58]

I'd aim for 2 and 15, would go up to 2 and 20 if the market necessitates it.

That's assuming that his knees are healthy enough to justify a full workload in right field, but a workout a physical are pretty much given before signing him anyway.

[Edgy MD]

It's hard not to get a whiff of Jason Bay (minus the healthy legs). That's why I'm going with a similar package as smg58, but with more escapabliity.

[Ceetar]

Brewers didn't make him the qualifying offer, suggesting they at least don't think he'll get something big.

weak on defense but seems to clearly be able to hit. More of a slugger than an on base guy, which I hope doesn't mean he sucks at Citi. Defense seems to be passably bad.

I don't think I'd do much more than 2 years at $12ish. Especially early on in free agency when there are presumably more and better options.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Ceetar wrote: Brewers didn't make him the qualifying offer, suggesting they at least don't think he'll get something big.

It really only means that they don't want to pay him $14 million next year.

[Ceetar]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Ceetar wrote: Brewers didn't make him the qualifying offer, suggesting they at least don't think he'll get something big. It really only means that they don't want to pay him $14 million next year.

AND they don't think it's a sure thing he gets a multi-year deal or anything comparable. i.e. they think he might _accept_ the qualifying offer. If there was demand for him and surely they've fielded calls about him over the years and have a decent sense of it, you make that offer so you get the first or second round pick.

[Frayed Knot]

Hart has sported more than a few bad tats and bad haircuts/dyes over the years.
I think any contract offer should take those things into account.



I don't remember his defense as being all that bad. Maybe Monk has a take on this.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

He's not a terrible defender, according to the numbers; I seem to remember him being a little reckless and Pence-y in right. Monk?

Anyway, all told, he's probably something like a 1.5-3 win ($8-$18M, depending on marginal-win-value flux) player, assuming reasonable health... which is a little faith-leap. So, with the risk discount, something like $5-7M per sounds right. 1/$6M with the $12M option is pretty appetizing, especially considering that Lagares helps paper over fielding deficiencies, and he meets a particular need area (right-handed power) for the team. Anyone who can't see that is willfully blinding themselves to the facts, like opting for dark-tinted eyewear during a time of day when it's already pretty dark.

[MFS62]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Anyone who can't see that is willfully blinding themselves to the facts, like opting for dark-tinted eyewear during a time of day when it's already pretty dark.

C'mon. Don't be a wuss. Come right out and say "sunglasses at night".
We'll be gentle.

Later

[Zvon]

If they go for him I hope they are clear on what his role is to be. For right field, sure, if he can still play outfield. If they want him for first base this will be a very interesting off season.

[metirish]

First base?, have you not heard?, Mets are loaded at that position. Shure 'tis trying to get rid of some we are.

[Frayed Knot]

Related to this topic, Joel Sherman suggests dealing Davis to Milwaukee for OF Nori Aoki -- something which could be instead of a Corey F. Hart signing or in addition to.

There's only two seasons worth of ML data on Aoki (32 next spring) but what there is adds up to a better leadoff man than EYII [.287/.355/.399 - 50 steals in 70 attempts] and has been consistent across the two season suggesting that he's no one-year wonder who then can't adjust to the adjustments of MLB pitchers. In his eight seasons in the Japanese league he was .329/.402/.454
Has played all three OF positions although mostly RF. My gut tells me he's good enough defensively although that could be just be via brief glimpses.

[Ceetar]

Frayed Knot wrote: Related to this topic, Joel Sherman suggests dealing Davis to Milwaukee for OF Nori Aoki -- something which could be instead of a Corey F. Hart signing or in addition to. There's only two seasons worth of ML data on Aoki (32 next spring) but what there is adds up to a better leadoff man than EYII [.287/.355/.399 - 50 steals in 70 attempts] and has been consistent across the two season suggesting that he's no one-year wonder who then can't adjust to the adjustments of MLB pitchers. In his eight seasons in the Japanese league he was .329/.402/.454 Has played all three OF positions although mostly RF. My gut tells me he's good enough defensively although that could be just be via brief glimpses.

Aoki's much better than Young. It's probably the type of deal you'd get for Davis. Though given the Mets state I think I'd rather sacrifice a little of that for the power of Hart, especially with the no-bat Lagares in center? (or re-up on the Davis gamble, but I'm not sure that's wise either. Maybe if you start Davis's season now, he'll have his first half slump in the winter and be the awesome second half guy all year?)

Fangraphs has him slightly subpar defensively. Also has him a bit down on baserunning, but if you believe this year for the Mets that was so good on the bases was a result of some sort of coaching focus, that'd be hidden value in Aoki.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I wonder if they won't deal Davis+ for Cuddyer. He is also a RH hitting OF with some power, plus he's David Wright's drinking buddy, which is important since we'd be losing one of our top drinkers in Ike.

[Ceetar]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I wonder if they won't deal Davis+ for Cuddyer. He is also a RH hitting OF with some power, plus he's David Wright's drinking buddy, which is important since we'd be losing one of our top drinkers in Ike.

when's Wright's wedding? I'm sure we can get some rumors out of over-analyzing his guest list.

In fact, if there are actually pictures, I might write up a whole post analyzing which Wright-Beers guests would be the best fit.

[metsmarathon]

would duda for cuddyer or aoki be a possibility? at this point, though, i don't really knwo which of those guys i have more confidence/hope in.

[Ceetar]

metsmarathon wrote: would duda for cuddyer or aoki be a possibility? at this point, though, i don't really knwo which of those guys i have more confidence/hope in.

Duda's a good hitter. His bat in the lineup makes the Mets much better. What's the problem is if his defense offsets that. Some defensive metrics seem to negate ALL the value of him playing LF (But on the same token, Lagares gains extra value) but if you're putting him at first, it's not as big a deal.

But other teams might prefer that known quantity in Duda rather than the extremely volatile Davis. I don't have any clue how other teams view Ike though. Ike's clearly got the higher actual talent level. But he's a first baseman getting expensive and his lows have been devastating.

I think I'd take Cuddyer over Aoki, but he just won a batting title and will be 35. I'm neither sure Duda or Davis is enough to nab him on their own, nor if it's the right move for the Mets. Could be the guy that signs his last contract and just flat out disappears.

[Edgy MD]

Frayed Knot: "Aoki is a betterleadoff man than Young.

Ceetar: A wounded squirrel is better than Young.

I just learned that Corey Hart's middle initial isn't "F." at all, but "C." His full name is "Jon Corey Hart."

[ashie62]

Ceetar wrote: Brewers didn't make him the qualifying offer, suggesting they at least don't think he'll get something big. weak on defense but seems to clearly be able to hit. More of a slugger than an on base guy, which I hope doesn't mean he sucks at Citi. Defense seems to be passably bad. I don't think I'd do much more than 2 years at $12ish. Especially early on in free agency when there are presumably more and better options.

A rich man's Nick Evans...

[Frayed Knot]

Hart has six full ML seasons under his belt where he averaged 62 XBHs per year.
Just a shade different than Nick Evans wouldn't you say?

[Edgy MD]

Well, Nick Evans has averaged about that many plate appearances per year, so...

[ashie62]

I would Sign a bunch of cheap coming off injury guys and hope to get lucky. The guys that represent the cream of the crop this signing season are not exceptonally exciting sans Cano perhaps.

Maybe you don't need to target any of the more expensive names...