Mex17

This might be a part of managing the back as well. I'm talking about blowouts on either side when the outcome of the game is clearly already decided and you can shave a few innings of fatigue off of him. The question is when do you pull the plug in those scenarios. Five runs up or down after eight innings? Ten runs up or down after seven? Something more or less earlier or later?

"Collins wants Rafael Montero, Sean Gilmartin, and Robert Gsellman to get some starts early on in Grapefruit League action. Said they will slowly work in the top five guys early on, wants to ease them in after the longer season in 2015." I wonder if Below and/or Pimentel get any chances to impress as well?

Really, this is getting stupid. I'm not saying that De Aza is going to carry the team on his back, but wasn't there a lot of talk about how having a deep, flexible roster over the last two months of 2015 was a real benefit? "It wasn't just Cespedes, Uribe and Johnson were great assets too!!!" De Aza is a professional hitter who should be able to help against rightys off the bench in a pinch hitting role and can spell an aging Grandy and perhaps even insure against an inexperienced Conforto and it's almost like he is being looked at as a detriment to the team right now. It's just silly. We have him. We should keep him and see how he can contribute. https://www.sny.tv/mets/news/mets-could-eventually-try-to-deal-de-aza/164636682

What, no Roger Bernadina love?

I cannot imagine that there are only going to be seven outfielders in major league camp for me other reason that they are going to need bodies to play the later innings of the really early Grapefruit League games. I doubt that the guys who are slotted for the big team are going to get out there that much to the point at which there will be a risk if injury or fatigue.

Just listened to the conference call. The agent went out of his way to make it very clear that Yo is NOT looking at this as only a one-year deal!!

There is no way that this is not almost totally ticket brokers gobbling up everything using automated software.

Centerfield wrote: I think Mex's question was why 4 years for Zobrist, but not for Cespedes. It was also why is 33 "old" for Cespedes whereas 38 seemingly is not for Zobrist. Edgy addressed that a little bit above, but still I wonder. I heard Harold Reynolds lamenting the general situation earlier on MLB network by saying that players are now being deemed over the hill right at the point at which they are supposedly finally putting the pieces of the game together in their heads. It is also inherently unfair either way it swings. If a player is (for lack of a better term) blacklisted when he hits a certain age, then he is screwed out of his market value that he produced upon when he was under team control. Alternatively, if a team is forced to throw big time money and years at a player who is at a more advanced age for services rendered to the competition and not have any reasonable expectations for the same level of service to be rendered to them, then how the hell does that make any sense?

So they hang a NL Championship banner and a retired number up on the wall in the same year. And the 30th anniversary of '86. And the current team being a legit championship contender. This is going to be a very special season.

RealityChuck wrote: but most other teams thought that Cespedes was too much a risk. Meaning perhaps that he won't find a better deal in a year and decide to not opt-out?

Still waiting for that physical to come through. . . Let's play a game while we are waiting. Who out of the "Also on the 40-man" and "Also invited to camp" crowds are you most anticipating to see during the first two weeks of March?

I can only speak for myself, but I thought that Zobrist was a horrible fit for the Mets. At second, him on a multi-year contract would have blocked Herrera. At shortstop, same thing with Rosario and Cecchini. At third, you already have $20 million for the next three seasons tied up in another player (stenosis notwithstanding). In the outfield, would his bat really carry? As a very expensive Joe McEwing, then maybe. But you would have been paying a lot on money for that over four years. The only other thing I can think about regarding the lack of willingness to go to the fourth year with is that they would then be tied up with him at the same time this supposedly "super class" of free agents (headed by Bryce Harper) is going to be available.

Riddle me this. . . Why are they so hesitant to commit to Cespedes for his age 33 season but were more than willing to give four years to Zobrist when the contract would have started at his age 35 season?

Ceetar wrote: Wright didn't really have enough time last year to really get a feel for what type of player he's going to be post stinosis, but he's still likely not a base-clogger, is a smart baserunner, is a good OBP guy. You don't have to have him stealing or anything, but he should be able to go first to third when it warrants, be on base a lot in front of Granderson's home runs, and just generally be good. You sort of said it. . .will he or will he not be a liability on the basepaths with the funky back?

No news and apparently not a sniff of interest from anyone about him. Do you think his velocity is shot permanently? I would think that he would be getting a minor league deal from someone before January is over.

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: You're right the inclination is they shouldn't. They'll try not to. But these were just our suggestions. I know, just contributing to the discussion.

bmfc1 wrote: Because Terry likes going lefty-righty: Granderson Wright Conforto Cespedes Duda d'Arnaud Walker Cabrera Stud Pitcher. Edgy's accomplishes the same thing and that might be the one that is used when the season starts. I don't think that they will put a 22 year-old who started last season in the Florida State League in the three-hole when they have other options.

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Pretty sure Terry will hit Walker second no matter what. If I made the lineup I'd break all the rules and go: Grandyman dArnaud Conforto Cespedes Doodoo Wright Cabrera Walker Pitcher I might even slot Wright 7 or 8 until he proves he's actually David Wright. I just don't think that they will embarrass or disrespect Wright like that.

I'm sure that there a lot of ways that they can do it, and TC probably has not made up his mind and will use Spring Training to sort it all out, but here is one permutation that makes a little bit of sense to me. . . Granderson Wright Cespedes Duda d'Arnaud Conforto Walker Cabrera It sacrifices a little bit of righty-lefty balance at the top end but it takes Wright out of a power spot and into more of a contact/on-base position. It also puts Yo into a prime production spot and keeps his athleticism in front of a slower Duda while also protecting him with Duda's power. The middle infielders at the bottom are no automatc outs either. One drawback is d'Arnaud's modest power in the 5 hole. Discuss. . .

It seems a bit silly to me to still be down on De Aza given the new circumstances. I love that he is going to be on the bench as opposed to Nieuwenhuis, Campbell, or Ceciliani.

batmagadanleadoff wrote: Mex17 wrote: One more financial point before we can put that to bed for the season and enjoy some baseball. . . The pundits have been wrong every step of the way concerning this contract negotiation and now they are all but guaranteeing that this will only be a one year stay and I refuse to take that as gospel! Say this year goes as planned and Yo still loves the team and the city and the Wilpons love what they see on the balance sheet and Alderson is convinced that there would not be a falling off the cliff in production from an age 33 Cespedes. Is it so unreasonable to think that they can all mutually agree on turning the remaining 2 years at $50 million into three years at $66 million (reducing the annual salary from $25 to $22) while also kicking in an additional $9 million in deferred money (say $1 million a year for nine years when he is in his fifties) so that they can say that he has "nine figure contract"? It's something to think about for next November. It might take a lot more than that, especially if Cespedes has a star 2016 season. Yo's opt-out will give him the leverage to force the Mets to renegotiate the last two years big-time in order to keep him. Definitely TBD becuase this has been one of the most unpredictable FA pursuits that I can recall. Upton is signed at $22 million a season through his age 33 season (he got his 6 year contract when he is two years younger than Yo is now). You can use that to say that this is how far you stretch it out to. It's too bad for Yo but the fact is that he loses a little bit from having been stuck in Cuba when other players were able to start their clock earlier.

Heyman confirmed on MLB Network that the Mets get a compensation pick if Yo opts out.

You forgot to add Danny Muno invited to camp.

I've got two six packs of Newcastle Brown Ale in the fridge right now!

One more financial point before we can put that to bed for the season and enjoy some baseball. . . The pundits have been wrong every step of the way concerning this contract negotiation and now they are all but guaranteeing that this will only be a one year stay and I refuse to take that as gospel! Say this year goes as planned and Yo still loves the team and the city and the Wilpons love what they see on the balance sheet and Alderson is convinced that there would not be a falling off the cliff in production from an age 33 Cespedes. Is it so unreasonable to think that they can all mutually agree on turning the remaining 2 years at $50 million into three years at $66 million (reducing the annual salary from $25 to $22) while also kicking in an additional $9 million in deferred money (say $1 million a year for nine years when he is in his fifties) so that they can say that he has "nine figure contract"? It's something to think about for next November.