WANTED: 36 yo of'er coming off a partial season

[batmagadanleadoff]

Because the Mets don't have enough of those.




Michael Cuddyer is a perfect free agent fit for NY Mets, who like him

The Mets are highly reluctant to trade any of their young pitchers this winter, despite an urgent need to upgrade the offense. It�s not impossible to imagine Zack Wheeler, Noah Syndergaard, Jacob deGrom and to some extent Rafael Montero playing for different teams next year, but it�s close. So where do they find a bat? Well, here�s an idea, one that that�s already been floated in the blogosphere, and turns out to be a concrete possibility: Free agent Michael Cuddyer, the exact sort of piece that fits the offense the Mets hope to construct. Here�s what we mean by that: While Sandy Alderson has long checked in on the Giancarlo Stantons and Carlos Gonzalezes of the world, he and his staff consider it more likely that the Mets will surround their core of pitchers with a lineup filled veteran, versatile or otherwise interchangeable pieces. Think Tampa Bay Rays, during their good years. Cuddyer is just such a piece. Thirty-five years old, he was injured much of this season, but hit 10 home runs in 49 games, while batting .332. People familiar with the Mets� thinking say that the team considers him attractive on a two-year deal. It is hard to imagine Cuddyer getting more than that, but as one major league executive notes about the Mets� top free agent target last year, �No one thought Jhonny Peralta was going to get four years, either.� The Cardinals shocked the Mets, and most of baseball, by giving Peralta a four-year, $52 million deal. If Cuddyer�s market does not inflate in a similar way, he could provide much-needed power for the Mets, a tremendous clubhouse presence to assume some of the leadership burden from his friend David Wright -- and all at a commitment that does not require excessive years, or the loss of a pitching prospect. It�s not that the Mets refuse to trade any of their pitchers not named Gee, Niese or Colon; it�s just that they are highly reluctant. Over the past 12 months, Wheeler went from sort of available, with some in the organization pushing hard to move him, to virtually untouchable. Syndergaard had a disappointing year at Triple-A, but remains young and promising. DeGrom is about to win the National League rookie of the year award, so he isn�t going anywhere. Scouts rate Montero a notch below the others, but sources say that the Mets are reluctant to part with him, too. He could be had in the right deal (Yoenis Cespedes, perhaps, who the Mets are monitoring?), but is far from on the market. Expect the Mets to explore many different trade options this winter. Rumors will arise, and many will be based in fact. We�ll even present some concrete possibilities here, over the next days and weeks. But two years of control over a veteran hitter like Cuddyer, at a rate that will not bust their tight budget -- well, that fits the plan better than many other choices.

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/baseballinsider/michael-cuddyer-perfect-free-agent-fit-ny-mets-blog-entry-1.1984031

[Edgy MD]

Provides right-handed cover at first, too.

[ashie62]

I'm in.

We are only a piece or two away from a 2015 ready to win team.

I do like that Cespedes guy though.

[Frayed Knot]

"Because the Mets don't have enough of those."

Like?

[Guest d'Kong76]

I can't see a guy who managed to play only 49 games
this year as someone I want to give a two year contract to?
And you just know it'll end up being a three or four year one.
No thanks.

[Ceetar]

eh, martino.

Cuddyer's the popular choice to talk about because he has that Wright-friendship angle.

[TransMonk]

I like Cuddyer a lot as a FA pickup...as long as he's not sold by management as the total solution for a winning season in 2015.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Fits their needs in several ways, was a legit consideration whether or not Trackie said so. I like him.

[Edgy MD]

d'Kong76 wrote: I can't see a guy who managed to play only 49 games this year as someone I want to give a two year contract to? And you just know it'll end up being a three or four year one. No thanks.

I certainly don't see Alderson coughing that up.

[Guest d'Kong76]

One year, club option for a second.

[Frayed Knot]

d'Kong76 wrote: I can't see a guy who managed to play only 49 games this year as someone I want to give a two year contract to?

Is also just a year removed from a 500 AB season where he hit (a Coors-aided) .331/.389/.570
Yeah, you'd need to satisfy yourself that the 2014 injury problems weren't likely to linger. But he'd seem to work well is RF (moving Grandy to LF) for at least one season (particularly if semi-platooned
with the likes of a Nieuwenhuis or MdD) plus, as mentioned, the occasional fill-in at 1B vs LHP. Could even play 3B in a pinch.

And you just know it'll end up being a three or four year one. No thanks.

Under some regimes I'd agree with this. But I think even those reluctant to give Sandy credit for much would have to give him points for the willingness to walk away from a price too high (or long)
as opposed to those days when NYM mgmt would decide what they wanted first then agree to whatever the cost it took to get it no matter where they went.
If he wants more than two years then go in a different direction.

Edited October 23, 2014 by Guest

[batmagadanleadoff]

Frayed Knot wrote: "Because the Mets don't have enough of those." Like?

I can't get any exaggeration past you.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

There is money available, or should be. I can think of worse places to spend it.

[Zvon]

TransMonk wrote: I like Cuddyer a lot as a FA pickup...as long as he's not sold by management as the total solution for a winning season in 2015.

d'Kong76 wrote: One year, club option for a second.

I wouldn't mind him as a side dish, but he's not the answer to our problems.

[batmagadanleadoff]

I like Cuddyer, but not head over heels like. But this is where the Mets shop these days, so I understand. Because the Mets are like the Royals. Only without the pennant. And the snazzy scoreboard.

[batmagadanleadoff]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: I like Cuddyer, but not head over heels like. But this is where the Mets shop these days, so I understand. Because the Mets are like the Royals. Only without the pennant. And the snazzy scoreboard.

No, that wasn't true. Actually, I'm indifferent to Cuddyer. I don't know why I wrote otherwise.

[Vic Sage]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Fits their needs in several ways, was a legit consideration whether or not Trackie said so. I like him.

this.

i've always liked him as a player. i wouldn't mind having him in our OF next year. He's not the difference between a losing team and a winning team, and if Wright and Grandy don't come around next season, Cuddyer won't matter, but he can be helpful if the pitching is where we think it is, and some of the other guys start hitting again. He won't put up Coors numbers at CitiField (even with the fences pulled in) but he could put up a line of .270/20hr/30 doubles/ 90r/80rbi with an .800 OPS, and he could platoon some in RF, and spell Duda and Grandy against tough LHPs. A useful piece, not a centerpiece.

[seawolf17]

He's a good fit. A deal somewhere between Chris Young and Bartolo Colon makes sense. I think having him here will benefit David too.

[Lefty Specialist]

No, no, no. No more Band-aids. Get a real hitter or don't bother at all.

We're like beaten dogs, factoring into our thinking what crumbs the Wilpons will throw us. I want someone who'll make a difference, not warmed over crap like Cuddyer. He's old, his most recent power is Coors-aided, and he's coming off an injury season. I don't care if he cleans Wright's pool in the off-season, I want better than this, dammit.

[Edgy MD]

I don't tend to think of acquiring Cuddyer necessarily comes with a "but no one better than this" caveat.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Lefty Specialist wrote: No, no, no. No more Band-aids. Get a real hitter or don't bother at all.

Who's your huckleberry, then? The even health-balkier Hanley? Melky Cabrera? The positionless Nelson Cruz, or Victor Martinez?

Righty pop with competence at 3(-plus, historically) positions on a reasonable 2 year deal (in all likelihood)? Si, se puede.

[Lefty Specialist]

My huckleberry? I want someone else's decent-hitting right-fielder or shortstop. And if that means we have to trade a decent pitcher (or two) to do it, then fine. I understand that a Gee or a Colon way not bring that player back, so we may have to take a chance with one of the other arms. Yes, it may come back to bite us. But I want to try to do something to shake up this team. Cuddyer is not that person. He's the guy you add AFTER you add that other guy.

Sandy has a lot of chips. We can go into 2015 with an awesome great 8-man starting staff that loses 2-1 because they can't get the runner in from 3rd with less than 2 outs. Or we can get a guy that energizes the middle of the order and makes the whole lineup better.

We had high hopes for Chris Young, too. But I don't want to play the 'He'll fit in because he's a good guy and won't cost too much' game any more. I know, I know, the Wilpons. I'm just tired of this story played over and over.

[Edgy MD]

I don't know what the price tag is or what other maneuvers might come. All I think is that they're a better team with him than without him.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Edgy MD wrote: All I think is that they're a better team with him than without him.

Similarity score: 99.9999998 %

[Ceetar]

Edgy MD wrote: I don't know what the price tag is or what other maneuvers might come. All I think is that they're a better team with him than without him.

Indeed. He's certainly worth a look and a discussion. There ARE probably a half dozen other guys with similar usefulness though. He's hardly the most singular or necessarily best choice. years, money, etc.

[Lefty Specialist]

First of all, I do think they'll get him, because it's the kind of move this franchise makes. And they will be marginally better because he'll probably be better than the enormous offensive sinkhole that was left field last year. Frankly, it'd be hard to be any worse. We'll all pray that he'll be more like Marlon Byrd and less like Chris Young.

But you won't hear any fans saying, "Holy shit, they got Michael Cuddyer!" He won't be a difference-maker. He's not the piece that sends them to the playoffs.

Who should that guy be? Damned if I know. That's why they pay GM's good money. I'm not big on WATP's because they always overvalue your own guys and undervalue the trade partner's guys. I want Sandy to be bold. He's going to dump Colon and Murphy because of the bucks involved. He's got an excess of pitching. So add something that makes a difference. If you just exchange Colon's salary for Cuddyer's, you've gotten nowhere.

[Guest Madoff's Mets]

TransMonk wrote: I like Cuddyer a lot as a FA pickup...as long as he's not sold by management as the total solution for a winning season in 2015.

This.

[Edgy MD]

I don't need a deal to make me say "Holy shit!" I've been around long enough to know that "Holy shit!" deals turn out to be "Shit!" deals as often as not. I appreciate a focus on wining ballgames, rather than offseason back pages.

And I don't see the Mets selling Michael Cuddyer as the difference-maker on a playoff run. Either he's worth the money he's paid (by the Mets or whoever) or he isn't. I don't know what that money is, so we can only speculate at this point, but it seems to be a little out there to speculate on the Mets marketing this guy as a playoff ticket or a "total solution for a winning season."

And if that happens, then the issue is with the Mets marketing strategy.

[batmagadanleadoff]

I'm gonna flip flop again on Cuddyer. I mean, if he's gonna hit as well as Sage thinks he could, and come as cheap as Leiter thinks he'll likely cost, then yeah, I'm all for it. Even better yet if Cuddyer's gonna hit 40 HR's next year instead of the 20 he's being pegged at. And if he wins the 2015 MVP, then put me down for two thumbs up.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: There is money available, or should be. I can think of worse places to spend it.

How're you figgerin'? Are you counting the money that might be freed up if Colon or Murphy or both are jettisoned? Did you get an inside tip from Matt Cerrone? Are you sayin' that the 2015 opening day payroll will be meaningfully greater than 2014's? Because factoring in conservative arb-eligible salary increases, the Mets are already pretty much where they opened last year.

[TransMonk]

Edgy MD wrote: ...it seems to be a little out there to speculate on the Mets marketing this guy as a playoff ticket or a "total solution for a winning season."

Not a direct marketing campaign, but it did "leak" that Sandy thought that GRANDERSON + YOUNG - HARVEY= 90 WINS last spring.

Still, I really like Cuddyer as a piece because he could fit multiple secondary needs, provide depth and (because he is a FA) require less risk than a trade of one of our valuable arms.