Tejada Sayonara?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Rubes reporting they've placed him waivers in a move that could save 'em $3 million.

I guess there's no SS controversy after all.

[Ceetar]

well, just the one where they make the team worse to save 2.5 million apparently.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Kinda ballsey considering the knee thing with Cabrera but I guess they're
comfortable with Reynolds coming north?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Sort of knew this day would come, but figured he'd go in a trade. St.L must have balked at the $$ themselves.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

At 26 (still!), he's a veteran with a lifetime .330 OBP and credible defense/experience at three infield positions. That's not just a net-positive; that's an h-to-G asset. You can't sell that?

[Frayed Knot]

Beware the Ides of March, Ruben.

[Edgy MD]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: At 26 (still!), he's a veteran with a lifetime .330 OBP and credible defense/experience at three infield positions. That's not just a net-positive; that's an h-to-G asset. You can't sell that?

We traded Rey Sanchez! Call up Duquette. Get Jim on the phone. Jim? How did you deal Rey Sanchez.

[Lefty Specialist]

A bit surprised; I guess they feel the Asdrubal thing is minor.

[Zvon]

Even though there's been talk the last week about this happening I am still in shock.

He came to ST in good shape. He's been hitting. Cabrera went down. I figured Mr. T would plug that gap while Flores floats between the corners.

I've been hoping to see more of Matt Reynolds for over a year now, so maybe this makes way for that, in which case I'll get over it.


They couldn't move him?

[G-Fafif]

Chase Utley is a modern-day Ed Ott except with a rule named for him and nobody, as far as we know, becoming a Taiyo Whale as a result.

[ashie62]

St. Louis wouldn't pick up any part of the salary I guess.

Management must really really like Matt Reynolds.

[Vic Sage]

i think management just wanted to save $2.5m, and didn't think the difference between Tejada and Reynolds was worth that amount of money. I"m sure they're right in that assessment, but Reynolds is entirely unproven so, even though i've never been a Tejada fan, this seems to me a weakening of the bench for financial reasons, particularly in light of the injury to Cabrera and Wright's tentative condition. I'm not going to tear my hair out over it (as i do not have much left), but i do think we're marginally weaker today than we were yesterday, just so they can save a few bucks. which is irritating.

[RealityChuck]

Some reports speculate Tejada may go to the Dodgers to form a double play combination with Chase Utley.

[G-Fafif]

Officially released, leaving Lucas Duda as second-longest tenured and only Met to arrive on roster during the Manuel administration.

[Edgy MD]

Seems like a strange call. Is $3 million for a second-strong shortstop the best investment of money? Well, it seems a better investment than $5.75 million for a third-string center fielder.

I'm guessing part of the thinking is that he lost a step following the leg injury. Else, they might well have just non-tendered him outright, and saved the full salary.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Nuclear winter for Omar guys -- Muffy, Niese, Mejia and now Tejada.

[Frayed Knot]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Nuclear winter for Omar guys -- Muffy, Niese, Mejia and now Tejada.

Also Parnell & Gee (well, in the last year anyway).
So that's four Top-100 guys: #20 (Murph), 30 (JN), 78 (DG), 90 (RT), plus Parnell at #123 (acc to CPF Rankings Central) all jettisoned within a very short span.
Mejia (#273) -- or the conspiracy surrounding him -- removed himself from the equation.

[ashie62]

Keith was on Boomer today and suggested Tejada was in the doghouse the last four years, he inferred it was for being out of shape.

He also thought 3 million was alot of money for a backup player and the Mets wanted to go with the younger guy. (Reynolds.)

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseball/25519303/mets-release-chase-utley-takeout-slide-victim-ruben-tejada

[Guest d'Kong76]

Four years is a long time to be in a doghouse. I dunno, I kinda
find it sad how his tenure ended... but the show must go on...

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Sandy was no fan of his, and Terry was mad when he showed up late to ST in '13, so it'd been awhile.

[Guest d'Kong76]

I just mean the dude got his leg broke, and then he gets better
and his ties with the team are fractured again. Just being sentimental,
and I know he certainly didn't deserve the raise he would have
gotten in 2016.

[Frayed Knot]

He was certainly in the doghouse back when he showed up late to Florida (not actually late, but not early either acc to Terry) and supposedly out of shape a couple of years back, but I don't think it necessarily follows that, because of that, he took up permanent residence in the chateau bow-wow ever since. I just think Sandy views him as a mediocre and therefore replaceable player.

The broken leg possibly scuttled plans to deal him over the winter, or maybe they like what they've seen out of Reynolds so far this spring and decided it was safe (and cost effective) to cut bait now.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I think it's safe to assume the lack of a trade indicated the broader market doesn't feel he's a $3M player.

[Centerfield]

What I want to know is if Teufel gets 11 back now.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

It is kinda weird to see Tuff wearing the same number of his alleged tormentor. All the same I am rooting against the coaches occupying player unis. There has been a No. 11 playing on the Mets every year except for 3 years (1967, 1968 and 2002).

[Edgy MD]

Giving a preferential option to those who played who played for the team getting their old numbers if they return as coaches (if it's not already assigned to a player) is a pretty long-running tradition, though, isn't it?

Yogi wore 8. Willie wore 24. Harrelson wore 3. Stearns wore 12. That's a stretch of precedence that gets us from the sixties to the aughts

Even less legendary types got low numbers. Bobby Valentine got 2. Mike Cubbage got 4. And they didn't even wear those numbers as Mets players! It's kind of a nice bow to their notability. But players, Mookie will tell you, still get precedence in times of conflict.


Bob Geren in 7 was another story. And he didn't even show his appreciation by sticking around.