Valverde

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

X-Tiger nutjob closer signs a minor league deal with the Mets.

[metirish]

I like it, he was good not too long ago right? Astros/Tigers.

[Edgy MD]

That guy scores some mighty points on the Lunkhead Meter. Tricks out his strikeouts and saves with body english.



Lots o' walks. Three teams. San Pedro de Macoris pedigree. Serious gut.

And the coup d'grace? The two-tone goatee:

[fimg=300]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/IMG_0676_Jos%C3%A9_Valverde.jpg[/fimg]

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

He was a real gascan while the Tigers were falling part in that 2012 postseason as I recall. But sure at one time a real good one.

Fun Fact: He's a career .500 hitter/ 1.000 slugger (1-2 with a double back in 2005).

Wonder if Downtown Brown will surrender 47 for him.

[Edgy MD]

Calls Washington Heights home and sure seems to have skinny arms for a beefy reliever:



Yeah, he put about 10 years on Leyland's life and the life of anybody else with a stake in the Tigercats.

[Vic Sage]

His career numbers are really very good, and as recently as 2011 he lead the AL in saves and came in 5th in the CY voting. He started striking out alot fewer batters in 2012 and became much more hittable, and last year he threw less than 20 innings. He's mid-30s, so either he's had injuries over the last few years, or he's lost his out pitch. I definitely think he's worth a flyer on a minor-league deal to find out, and if he grabs a spot in the pen during ST and pushes Black, German, Familia or Reid back to the minors for another year, that's ok, too.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Valverde's the perfect acquisition for the times. The Mets are still essentially penniless and so must take chances on these sort of cheap players with high upsides (high upsides relative to their costs). Besides, it's a Minor League deal so what's the fuss?

[smg58]

Very nearly all of our acquisitions (Colon excepted) this offseason are guys who've been solid in the past but are coming off down years. I'm still kind of under the impression that they all have to bounce back for us to contend, but I have no qualms about giving minor league deals to guys with upside.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Little bit more to love? Check.

Tonsorial weirdness? Check.

FUCK YOU I LIKE THE DANCING save celebration? Check.

Most importantly... minor-league deal? Check.

What's not to love? (Well, the walks, and the possible loss of out-pitch, and... well, but hey? Minor-league deal!)

[nymr83]

I remember reading last year that his fastball was dead.

[Edgy MD]

Veteran relievers signed to minor league contracts --- done by every team every year regardless of financial situation.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

POINT, EDGY

[MFS62]

Calls Washington Heights home and sure seems to have skinny arms for a beefy reliever:

Hey! We're homeys. (Well, I grew up there)
Gotta' root for him to make it.

Later