Edgy MD

Transactions, 11/25/2025 [table][tr][th]Direction[/th][td90]COMING[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Transaction [/th][td90]Signed away from BOS to Minor-League Contract, Invited to Spring Training, Projected for Syracuse[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Position Group [/th][th]Relief Pitchers[/th][/tr] [tr][th][/th][td90][fimg=90]https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-photos/image/upload/d_people:generic:headshot:67:current.png/w_213,q_auto:best/v1/people/476594/headshot/67/current[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Name [/th][td90]Robert Stock [fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/usa_m.png[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]DoB[/th][td90]1989-11-21[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]B/T[/th][td90]L/R[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]High Level[/th][td90]MLB (2025)[/td90][/tr][/table] Robert Stock was first drafted as a catcher back in the second round of 2009 — a round that included the likes of Nolan Arrenado, Billy Hamilton, Steven Matz, Jason Kipnes, DJ LeMahieu, and Patrick Corbin. By 2012, he had switched full-time to pitching and sixteen years and 75 MLB innings later, he has a 4.90 career ERA to show for himself. Has played with eight different teams just since throwing five innings for the Mets in a pair of starts back in 2021 — the second one producing a season-ending hamstring injury — but has only managed to add only 2 1/3 MLB innings in that time. Still, he presses onward, confident that he has something to offer. “And yet MLB teams continue to give me chances. Why? Because I continually find new ways to improve.” What he is specifically referring to when he speaks of his ”new ways” is the introduction of the knuckle curve to his repertoire. God bless the spirit of the ballplayer. Not a lot of seasons produce an R.A. Dickey (so far, only one has) but if there is to be an R.A. Dickey of 2026, he is by far the leading candidate. Until things change — and change they will — you can pencil him into the Syracuse starting rotation, along with Jonah Tong, Brandon Sproat, Christian Scott, and TJ Shook. Transactions, 11/26/2025 [table][tr][th]Direction[/th][td90]COMING[/td90][td90]COMING[/td90][td90]COMING[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Transaction [/th][td90]Signed away from Monclava (Mexican League) to Minor-League Contract, Invited to Spring Training, Projected for Syracuse[/td90][td90] Signed away from BOS to Minor-League Contract, Invited to Spring Training, Projected for Syracuse[/td90][td90] Signed away from LAD to Minor-League Contract, Invited to Spring Training, Projected for Syracuse[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Position Group [/th][th]Relief Pitchers[/th][th]Relief Pitchers[/th][th] Outfielders[/th][/tr] [tr][th][/th][td90][fimg=90]https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-photos/image/upload/d_people:generic:headshot:67:current.png/w_213,q_auto:best/v1/people/644429/headshot/67/current[/fimg][/td90][td90][fimg=90]https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-photos/image/upload/d_people:generic:headshot:67:current.png/w_213,q_auto:best/v1/people/595897/headshot/67/current[/fimg][/td90][td90][fimg=90]https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-photos/image/upload/d_people:generic:headshot:67:current.png/w_213,q_auto:best/v1/people/682947/headshot/67/current[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Name [/th][td90]Anderson Severino [fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/dominican-republic-flag-small.png[/fimg][/td90][td90]Nick Burdi [fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/usa_m.png[/fimg][/td90][td90]José Ramos [fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2019/07/panamanian-flag-small.jpg[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]DoB[/th][td90]1994-09-17[/td90][td90]1993-01-19[/td90][td90]2001-01-01[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]B/T[/th][td90]L/L[/td90][td90]R/R[/td90][td90]R/R[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]High Level[/th][td90]MLB (2022)[/td90][td90]MLB (2025)[/td90][td90]AAA (2024)[/td90][/tr][/table] Anderson Severino is a journeyman's journeyman, who must be capable of sporadic moments of transcendence when scouts are watching — moments that prove unsustainable after contracts are signed, because he has pitched seemingly everywhere on God’s green earth, including multiple continents, and 7 1/3 innings in the big leagues back in 2022. If you are wondering what type of pitcher it would take to get Tony LaRussa to finally retire, Anderson may be it. With a minor league record alternating solid seasons with ERAs north of seven, he may sound like a Met by name, but he feels like a one-man game of Russian roulette. Look for the Mets to call him up in June, send him in to pitch the last inning of a blowout game, after which he will get two quick outs, looking sharp enough for you to think he might be worth keeping around for a few weeks, after which he will immediately give up three runs in a blink — possibly on a walk, a hit-batsman, and a BOMB — and never be heard from in Metland again. But still, he would be found pitching years later in Ciudad Juarez or somewhere. If LOOGys were still legal, there might be a place for him in this world, but alas. Nick Burdi was throwing 95 coming out of high school, and 100 coming out of college, and so, unsurprisingly, he has spent the last 10 years trying to stay healthy. He should not be confused with his brother Zack who also had a couple of chances in the big leagues, but hung ‘em up in 2023. José Ramos has had a solid minor-league career, but been kept down by the man. He has a well-rounded skill set, while not displaying any standout skills — at least not yet at the upper levels. He is still young, however, and currently profiles as the team's top Syracuse outfielder, and so, one injury short of big-league action. Also, the organization has been woefully low on Panamanians, historically. So please welcome José.

Given 20 more guesses or so, I totally would have gotten Dick Schofield. Alvaro Espinosa? Maybe a thousand guesses.

Framber Valdez has never sold a lot of posters, maybe, but he has stayed healthy year in and year out, averaged 192 innings the last four seasons, and has never really had a bad season since he became a full-time starter. All the same is kinda true, but to a lesser extent, about Ranger Suarez, for what that is worth. Reliable may be just what the team needs, as long as you don't get too shocked when banking on it falters.

I wouldn't bank on it, but I wouldn't doubt it either. Anonymous sources appear at the end of a season. In the case of Ottavino, real ones do also. Also notable that it comes shortly after a report that Lindor has been discussed as a trade candidate.

And Lindor has the five-and-10 rights.

I went for Carlos Beltran because he is a Hall of Famer, and possibly the best post-season performer ever. I went for Andy Pettitte and Bobby Abreu because Beltran was looking really lonely on my ballot.

Also, it seems it did not take a whole lot of mental strain to figure out how to slot the games from that Dodger series in there.

Terrific reading. Thanks for sharing, FaFiF. I honestly was preparing myself for some reassessments.

This can be the potluck party post!

For what it might be worth, I have been bouncing this thread around in my brain since the first half of the season.

Frequently injured, but effective when healthy relief pitcher Nick Burdi has signed a minor-league deal with the old invite to Florida included. Nick spent most of 2025 with the Worcester Red Sox, lamenting how stupid a name Woosox is, while striking out 45 dudes in 35 innings and pitching to a 2.83 ERA. In a handful of appearances for Boston, he was unscored upon in 5 1/3 innings — all but one of those innings coming against The Braves, interestingly enough. Nick spent 2024 with the Yankees and kind of looked the part, with the short hair and the baggedy-ass home uniform. [FIMG=450]https://bloggingtheredsox.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/gettyimages-2155660776-594x594-1.jpg[/FIMG] That will take a moment to un-see. When a Yankee pitcher wears that oversized jersey and lets the top buttons fly open, it makes it look like he is sweating out a night of drinking. (Clarification: I am not suggesting such a thing is in any way true. I am only saying it is a bad look. C.C. Sabathia fans know what I am talking about.) Curiously enough, his road uniform actually was too small — like, he-took-it-from-another-player small. [FIMG=450]https://empiresportsmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/MLB-New-York-Yankees-at-Arizona-Diamondbacks-nick-burdi-22931266-scaled.jpg[/FIMG] Get it together, Yankee equipment manager guy!

Bob Johnson.

Played in some pretty legendary minor league circuits — The Three-I League, The Western League, and The Panama Winter League. A connection to a lot of history — along with eight years and over 200 homers in Japan. His Mets tenure was marred by a debilitating shoulder injury.

That all may be true. It may be truer than not. But I also think that, even when the team was winning this season, they had not found their character, and that may or may not have undercut their resilience when adversity struck.

Old reliable John Valentin is good for most any quiz.

His wife had sharp looking canine teeth.

Francis Albert Sinatra Tanana

Tony Clark.

Kansas City stud Ed Charles.

He has a cousin from Brooklyn named Ji Hwan Epstein.

By the way, how do you like March 26 for an opening day?

One does not see Ji Hwan Bae. If one is blessed, and that one stays completely still for long enough, one might sense that one is in his presence. Also, if one trades one of their mere two established starting-quality outfielders, one realizes that Ji Hwan Bae is probably their best option in center against righthanders, which Paul Skenes most certainly is.

With all appropriate caveats about it being November 26 and all, the Mets aren't exactly set to throw a lineup out there that classes the Pirates off the field.

After the 1986 Mets conquered baseball, there was offseason drama as the team moved on from World Series MVP Ray Knight. It was certainly the right move on paper, as they had four options at third queued up behind him, but there was grumbling in the clubhouse that the organization did not respect what he meant to the team chemistry. I thought at the time that the latter argument was bollox. The four options were all probably ready to be immediately better, and they had miles of baseball ahead of them. I remember a series of tense negotiations where Knight wanted the three years and the team offered one, Knight wanted three years and the team offered two, Knight wanted three years and the team offered two and an option, Knight wanted three years and the team offered two and a vesting option. Knight hung the chemistry and drama of 1986 over the team's head, and Frank Cashen wouldn't bite. Knight moved on in a huff, after a long cold winter, took less than the Mets were offering over two years from Baltimore, and faded quickly, finishing out the contract as an un-productive Tiger. That is how I remember it. The story has changed a lot over the years, with Knight increasingly claiming the Mets made no good faith offer whatsoever. In the latter-day documentary, Knight claims that Cashen called him the day after the series telling him that he would not be getting an offer at all. Maybe I have it all wrong. What I also remember, however is every few months over the next two years, when the Mets were going bad, someone on the team would tell the press that what they really need on the team and in the clubhouse was Ray Knight. Usually it was Wally Backman talking, or maybe Keith Hernandez, but what was keeping the team from cruising like they did in 1986 was Ray Knight — his current reign of unproductivity in the American League be damned. As noted above, I thought it was bollux. But this is not a Ray Knight post. I re-open the Ray Knight case as a precedent in asking ... did the Mets really blow it in not re-signing Jose Iglesias following the 2024 season? As with Ray Knight, it was certainly the right move on paper. He was (highly) unlikely to repeat his productivity of the previous season, but unlike Knight, he was not asking for multiple years. The 2024 season was dead in the water until they found their character with him at the center of it. But every team has to re-find and re-define themselves each year. Whether or not the absence of José Iglesias had anything to do with it, the 2025 team never found their character, as patiently as I waited for it. Iglesias' bat never really woke up in 2025 for the Padres, which certainly reinforces the Met choice. It can certainly be argued that he would have had a better season had he been allowed to continue on with his new-found family, but it takes a lot of wishful thinking to get there. What is indisputable is that (1) his replacement, Nick Madrigal, provided zero value, being injured the whole season, and (2) the young infielders he was moved aside to make room for developed less robustly than hoped. Maybe I am just older and more prone to a sentimental argument, but by the end of 2024, the marketing of the team was built around his stupid OMG! thing, and that sort of brand equity — brand authenticity — along with the internal cultural insinuation that keeps the work organized and everybody rowing in the same direction, is tossed aside at great expense, Igesias' Ordóñezesque 2025 numbers be damned. Young infielders are coming. You do not want to block them, but if somebody has to fill the utility job on year by year contracts until they come and push him out of the way, why not have a guy with brand equity and internal inculturation? It is a question asked a year to late, but maybe it matters going forward, as the team tosses off other pieces. Continuity matters. I mean, it doesn't matter as much as a lot of other stuff, but when the question is Jose Iglesias vs. Nick Madrigal, it kinda does.

I imagine they hope that they can rely on him producing defensive value, and aim to work hard to find whatever offensive upside he has left.