Edgy MD

Agreed, most certainly. Although we don't know that Valdez was biting at that a month ago.

Lots of realieasies going into Spring Training, as the Mets do that dick move of telling a bunch of young men who thought they had a job all winter "Oh ... you're still here?" We will get to them, but first we catch up on three outfielders who have been allowed to leave unremarked on. Transactions, 7/10/2024 [table][tr][th]Direction[/th][td90]GOING[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Transaction [/th][td90]Signed away to Minor-League Contract by CHC[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Position Group [/th][th] Outfielder[/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/572204/headshot/67/current[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Name [/th][td90]Trayce Thompson [fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/usa_m.png[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]DoB[/th][td90]1991-03-15[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]B/T[/th][td90]R/R[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]High Level[/th][td90] MLB (2023)[/td90][/tr][/table] Trayce Thompson, who appeared with several big league teams (including multiple tenures with a few) from 2015-2023, never found his way back with the Cubs, and played AAA ball for the Red Sox in 2025. He has also played for Team UK in international efforts. Transactions, 11/13/2025 [table][tr][th]Direction[/th][td90]GOING[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Transaction [/th][td90]Signed away by Indianapolis Clowns (Banana Ball Championship League)[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Position Group [/th][th] Outfielder[/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/598265/headshot/67/current[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Name [/th][td90]Jackie Bradley, Jr. [fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/usa_m.png[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]DoB[/th][td90]1990-04-19[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]B/T[/th][td90]L/R[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]High Level[/th][td90] MLB (2023)[/td90][/tr][/table] Jackie Bradley, Jr. has been an All-Star, a Gold Glove winner, and a post-season series MVP, so that's the sort of calling card that keeps a guy getting called. His short tenure with the Mets organization didn't lead far but he is now the first former big leaguer to sign with The Banana Ball Championship League, so the story goes on. The Red Sox are also planning a tribute night for him this season. Transactions, 2/16/2025 [table][tr][th]Direction[/th][td90]GOING[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Transaction [/th][td90]Signed away to Minor-League Contract by LAD[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Position Group [/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/592696/headshot/67/current[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Name [/th][td90]Eddie Rosario [fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/puerto_rico.png[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]DoB[/th][td90]1991-09-28[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]B/T[/th][td90]L/R[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]High Level[/th][td90] MLB (2024)[/td90][/tr][/table] Eddie Rosario looks like a Puerto Rican Trayce Thompson and has kind of had a similar career. The Mets were one of three organizations he played with in 2024, appearing for two of them at the big-league level, and in 2025, he similarly had a three-organization/two big-league tenure journey. Sounds like a lot of coffee and itineraries but the money is still coming for Ed, though he's ow unemployed on February 5, so the next stop is still a mystery.

What's the story, Giuseppe Torre?

That was John Kruk. At least, it is credited to him, clearly by himself included. But the way Tug McGraw and Bill Lee often claimed the same quotes, it is hard to tell original sources when guys get to write their own myths.

I have no problems with those discussions, and I have no reason to believe "all the data" suggest these are closed issues.

I've been thinking about Mickey since Wilbur Wood died. How many terrific pitchers from that era never got a tumble from the Hall of Fame, but look better every year now that 300 wins is a myth, 200 is mostly out reach for even the best, and even Jacob deGrom is still looking up at 100? There was all this handwringing over the likes of Bert Blyleven and Don Sutton, who put up mountainous numbers but were rarely ever sexy, and even over the Don Drysdales who were sexy af, but not for a full generation. But Wilbur Wood, Mickey Lolich, Tommy John, Luis Tiant, Joe Niekro, Jerry Koosman, Vida Blue, and the like are all condemned to die off without their file even being reopened. Fie on that.

Well, Gary presenting ephemera, while Keith responds with "Yeah, well, I don't know why anybody cares about squares and square roots — what's the point?" provides contrast. And in contrast, you can get both drama and comedy.

Rob Refsnyder has joined the Mariners on a one-year deal. He is 35 and looks older, and has only once hit as many as 10 homers (11 in 2024), but he has become, year in and year out, one of the best choices in the league to be the righthanded-hitting member of any platoon spot in your lineup.

FUN FACT: Pete Rose did not invent, or even really reinvent, the head-first slide. It had been around since at least the 1880s when we have reports of the St. Louis Browns doing it. Johnny Bench was a practitioner of it early in his career, and he says he picked it up from studying Enos Slaughter, who entered the league in 1938. But Bench dropped it from his game, out of deference to Rose. He figured it was Pete's brand, or something. One of the true all-time greats — probably the best ever at his position — actually took a facet out of his game because he didn't want to dim the light on a self-promoting teammate working a hustle. Why do we do that?

It's pretty good to hear Gary be firmly against Keith and Ron on at least one divisive issue. He too often wants to be down with the cool kids even if he occasionally snorts at how proudly uninformed Keith stays on some issues. And, I guess, part of Ron wants to be as cool as Keith also, even as he is twice the mind. The problem with Keith (and Ron to a lesser extent) is really about growing old and wanting the hegemony you flourished under in your youth to be the dominant and defining one as you grow older. It never occurs to too many of us that our lives and the lives of countless others would have been better if we hadn't slopped up the self-serving myths of awful self-promoters like Pete Rose and Steve Garvey and the future President Trump.

For what it's worth, any Hall-of-Famer rendered with a New York Giants insignia on his cap is effectively wearing a Mets hat as well. [FIMG=350]https://baseballhall.org/sites/default/files/styles/fullscreen_image_popup/public/Irvin%20Monte%20Plaque_NBL.jpg.jpeg?itok=OKhxiSYe[/FIMG] [FIMG=350]https://baseballhall.org/sites/default/files/Terry%20Bill%20Plaque%20280_NBL.png[/FIMG] [FIMG=350]https://baseballhall.org/sites/default/files/Jackson%20Travis%20Plaque%20258__0.png[/FIMG] [FIMG=350]https://baseballhall.org/sites/default/files/Youngs%20Ross%20Plaque_NBL.png[/FIMG] [FIMG=350]https://baseballhall.org/sites/default/files/Mathewson%20Christy%20Plaque_N_0.png[/FIMG] OK, maybe not Ross Youngs.

Hey man, if you want Jerry Blevins hung out to dry by himself, it's your funeral. And Jerry's.

The thing they have to figure out is how to use the alternatives. Because, while neither Todd Zeile nor Jerry Blevins qualify as morons (I reserve judgement on Anthony Recker, it kind of stinks that the only times they work is when they are the only analyst in the booth, which is like coming up with two strikes against them. I DEMAND a three-person booth every night. A pitcher, a hitter, and a civilian.

Strange that he had two tenures with Houston, and in one he had the most magnificent post-season that can be imagined, and then in the second, he sort of had the most disgraceful.

I guess he and Ronny have in recent years each been signed up for about 2/3 (108) of the games?

My only objection is that he played in an era of some uggo Mets hats ... [fimg=300]https://images.pristineauction.com/60/606554/main_1-Carlos-Beltran-New-York-Mets-Collage-8x10-MLB-Auth-PristineAuction.com.jpg[/fimg] ... and I hope they have a good sense to instead plaque him up in a Kasey Klassic. [fimg=300]https://carlosbeltranbaseballacademy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/carlosb2.jpg[/fimg]

Catching up with some other minor-league contributors who have moved on. Transactions, 1/22/2025 [table][tr][th]Direction[/th][td90]GOING[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Transaction [/th][td90]Signed away by Durango (Mexican League)[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Position Group [/th][th] Catchers[/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/664119/headshot/67/current[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Name [/th][td90]Austin Allen [fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/usa_m.png[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]DoB[/th][td90]1994-05-27[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]B/T[/th][td90]L/R[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]High Level[/th][td90] MLB (2022)[/td90][/tr][/table] Austin Allen, veteran of parts of four MLB seasons, took his journey to get back to the show down south of the border. He never took the field with Oaxaca, but caught on again mid-season with Durango. Sadly, that did not take him very far. Transactions, 2/4/2025 [table][tr][th]Direction[/th][td90]GOING[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Transaction [/th][td90]Signed Away by LAA to Minor-League Contract[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Position Group [/th][th] Infielders[/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/570560/headshot/67/current[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Name [/th][td90]Yolmer Sanchez [fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/venezuelan-flag-small.png[/fimg][/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]DoB[/th][td90]1992-06-29[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]B/T[/th][td90]S/R[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]High Level[/th][td90] MLB (2022)[/td90][/tr][/table] This actually ended Yolmer Sanchez's second tenure with the organization. During his first, he made three appearances with the big-league team while never coming to the plate. He continues on with Los Angeles this season. He has an MLB Gold Glove award (CHW, 2019) in his back pocket and that is a hell of a calling card as he tries to again find enough batsmanship to return to the show. Transactions, 5/1/2025 [table][tr][th]Direction[/th][td90]GOING[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Transaction [/th][td90]Enlisted in South Korean Military[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Position Group [/th][th] Infielder[/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/596847/headshot/67/current[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Name [/th][td90]Ji-Man Choi [fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/flag-south-korea.jpg[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]DoB[/th][td90]1991-05-19[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]B/T[/th][td90]L/R[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]High Level[/th][td90] MLB (2022)[/td90][/tr][/table] Having no stateside offers, Ji-Man Choi for a time considered signing with a Japanese or Korean team to kick his military service obligation further down the road. He instead elected to get the obligation out of the way while he is still young enough to hack it. I believe his obligation is for two years and he still hopes to return to baseball after. He has forced Mets Roster Central to add "Korean Military Service" to our database, and that is no small thing.

Reports on guys who have long since left the system, but contemporary updates as well!! Transactions, 4/2/2024 [table][tr][th]Direction[/th][td90]GOING[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Transaction [/th][td90]Announced Retirement[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Position Group [/th][th]Relief Pitcher[/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/682016/headshot/67/current[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Name [/th][td90]William Woods [fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/usa_m.png[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]DoB[/th][td90]1998-12-29[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]B/T[/th][td90]R/R[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]High Level[/th][td90] MLB (2022)[/td90][/tr][/table] Most guys who find themselves without an employer at 24 don't go announcing a retirement. If it was Mets Roster Central, we would still be waiting for a callback from our agency well into our seventies. But from a clean-roster maintenance point of view, it is very helpful to provide official word to bring a curtain on one's theoretical free agency which can otherwise theoretically continue for the rest of one's natural life. William's MLB career amounted to two scoreless innings for the Braves in 2022, and there are worse ways to leave behind a permanent record. Transactions, 7/23/2024 [table][tr][th]Direction[/th][td90]GOING[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Transaction [/th][td90]Signed away by Tijuana (Mexican League)[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Position Group [/th][th]Relief Pitcher[/th][/tr] [tr][th][/th][td90][fimg=90]https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-photos/image/upload/c_fill,g_auto/w_180/v1/people/674810/headshot/milb/current[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Name [/th][td90]Victor Castaneda [fimg=30]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/mexican-flag-small.png[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]DoB[/th][td90]1998-08-27[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]B/T[/th][td90]R/R[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]High Level[/th][td90] AAA (2024)[/td90][/tr][/table] The dashing Victor Castaneda began his pro career pitching for Tijana at 18, and resigned with them at 26 after flaming out in AAA for the Mets. He never appeared with them during his second tenure, however, pitched in the (more competitive) Mexican Pacific Winter League last year and is technically still active as far as we can tell. He was one of the earlier examples of criticism of David Stearns for disproportionately (or so it might seem) signing guys out of the Milwaukee system. Transactions, 2/8/2025 [table][tr][th]Direction[/th][td90]GOING[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Transaction [/th][td90]Signed away by ATL to Minor-League Contract[/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/592229/headshot/67/current[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Name [/th][td90]Dylan Covey [fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/usa_m.png[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]DoB[/th][td90]1991-08-14[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]B/T[/th][td90]R/R[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]High Level[/th][td90] MLB (2023)[/td90][/tr][/table] Dylan Covey, veteran of five MLB seasons never took the mound competitively at any level for the Mets, and even after the Braves grabbed him 2024, shortly after his Mets release, he sat out all of that season and all but 7 1/3 AAA innings in 2025. He should be ready to go in 2026, and we hope has something left, because he doesn't look like a guy who would do well with unemployment. Transactions, 1/24/2026 [table][tr][th]Direction[/th][td90]GOING[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Transaction[/th][td90]Released[/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/656814/headshot/67/current[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Name [/th][td90]Luís Ortíz [fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/usa_m.png[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]DoB[/th][td90]1995-09-22[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]B/T[/th][td90]R/R[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]High Level[/th][td90] MLB (2024)[/td90][/tr][/table] Back to modern times, Luis Ortiz is another MLB vet who has worked some time to return from injury, but even if now healthy, he had slid so far down the depth chart that he was projected for Brooklyn. That was a hole that would take him another year to climb out of. Best to pursue other opportunities. Transactions, 1/29/2026 [table][tr][th]Direction[/th][td90]GOING[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Transaction [/th][td90]Released[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Position Group [/th][th]Relief Pitcher[/th][/tr] [tr][th][/th][td90][fimg=90]https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-photos/image/upload/c_fill,g_auto/w_360/v1/people/805076/headshot/milb/current[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Name [/th][td90]Estarlin Escalante [fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/dominican-republic-flag-small.png[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]DoB[/th][td90]2003-08-22[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]B/T[/th][td90]R/R[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]High Level[/th][td90] FCL (2025)[/td90][/tr][/table] One should never get so over-excited that they trade for a cool name like Estarlin Escalante, but neither should one be a hurry to release such a name once one has it in the system. This sweet-monikered Dominican, however, got badly lit in up A-ball last year, walking 22 guys in 25 innings, and one imagines he reported to camp in 2026 and the organization was surprised to see him before realizing that the paperwork on a release they meant to execute at the end of 2025 never went through. Transactions, 1/30/2026 [table][tr][th]Direction[/th][td90]GOING[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Transaction[/th][td90]Released[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Position Group [/th][th]Starting Pitcher[/th][/tr] [tr][th][/th][td90][fimg=90]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/silhouette-2003.png[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Name [/th][td90]Jorge Rodriguez [fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/dominican-republic-flag-small.png[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]DoB[/th][td90]2001-12-18[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]B/T[/th][td90]R/R[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]High Level[/th][td90] FCL (2025)[/td90][/tr][/table] Say what you want about Estarlin Escalante, but Jorge Rodriguez pitched with the Mets from 2021 to 2025 and still never managed to be assigned a face. He put up some big-ish strikeout numbers but had been off the field most of the last two seasons, and probably didn't look too hot at his reporting exam this spring.

At a AA game, I was in row 2, behind the dugout, pre-netting. Josh Barfield — on a rehab assignment from the bigs, I think — drove one heading right between my eyes. I was certain the last thing I would ever see was the autograph of the Eastern League Commissioner. Somehow, I was able to elude this untimely death, but the crack of the ball against the back of the seat behind me reverberated through the whole all ballpark, which fell into a hushed silence. I wondered what the hell I ever did to Josh Barfield, who was perhaps one half as strong as his father, but you wouldn't know it from the violence he directed at me. He didn't even offer me an apologetic nod from the batter's box. For the rest of the game, in my seats or wandering around the concourse, anybody I crossed paths with in the ballpark looked at me with a sort of awe — not like I was cool, but like I was undead. They would stare at me but not speak. "I don't know how you avoided that ball," one guy finally said to me, with a tone of suspicion, like I was meant to be dead, and they all knew it, and that my continuing to be walking about the ballpark was evidence of foul allegiances. "I don't know either," I honestly replied, and then a third man, less intimidated by witchcraft, but still kind of whispering, joined in with, "I think you dove underneath your wife's shirt." Funny-ish, but still no eye contact from the guy. Be you heperson or sheperson, the game suddenly happening right in your face can be a pretty unsettling thing.

[MetsBlue]LOT 81022[/MetsBlue] 1990's Tom Seaver Personal Mementos Lot of 4 from The Tom Seaver Collection. These mementos were in Tom Seaver's personal collection. Included are: Ted Williams Retrospective Museum And Library medallion (88/100), Bob Feller Act of Valor Award Foundation medallion, Seaver's 1989 All-Star Game press pin and 1988 Sports(man?) of The Year Award from the Marine Scholarship dog tag. Letter of provenance from Nancy Seaver. Bidding currently at a buck. And heck, I'd pay a buck just to get a letter from Nancy.

Wow, 325 career dingers for this guy. Has he been around that long? I feel old Did it all in a little over 10 years. He may not be a superstar, but he has been consistent and he stays healthy. Total bro, too.

Some of those guys shed their defensive and baserunning pluses over the second half of their careers also. Carew moved to first, Gwynn grew that belly, and both of them stopped putting up big basestealing numbers, while Boggs, of course was never fast. He became a good fielder in his peak, but it took him a few years to get there. And somewhat like Ichiro, he kind of had a long tail of averageness. The key to such players is kind of believing they don't necessarily have to have those extras to have value. That just being high-average/high-contact guys is worth having. And seemingly, that is a minority opinion. Certainly, though, the problem with any one-key-skill guy is that there is nothing to fall back on if and when that one key skill regresses to the mean. For what its worth, I like Arraez. In today's pitch-count-critical game, it is always fascinating to see him turn a game on its ear simply by clocking in a 10-pitch trip to the plate, no matter what its outcome. And while I get that his game is trending toward averageness, my impression of his performance against the Mets has been Hall-of-Fame-worthy. (Checking his numbers against the Mets and OH! YES! he's gone a ballcrushing .417 / .462 / .524 // .986 in 94 plate appearances.)

Well, as noted above in the Athletic article — apart from Polanco at first being a downshift on the defensive spectrum, as he is sliding from middle infield to first — if the does not adapt to first, they can slip him to DH and use the more-experienced-at-first Vientos or the more-in-his-athletic-prime Baty over there with some regularity. They can even make the swapout before opening day. The presence of a DH makes defense at first even less of a worry than it had previously been through history. The only time you need to worry about first base defense is when the guy's defense is so bad but his offense is so key to the lineup that you can't take him out, but your DH is also a key lineup cog with worse defense. Then you are behind the eight ball. I am most curious about the guy on the corners who isn't out of position — Soto.

Jefferson was an outfielder. As far as I can recollect, and I feel confident the record would back me up, he did not play first, unless there was a cameo here or there. The point of trying to hang onto your young players who have not peaked yet, of course, is not that they will all blossom into stars, but that the ones who do so blossom more than (far more than, if your intentions bear fruit) make up for the investment in the ones who do not. As Mitchell did. And you remain confident in your payoff far exceeding the investment, because you are smart and assembled the best scouting and development staff. "Anybody can go out and chase after last year's MVP," you say to yourself. "Even fools know he's terrific because he's last year's MVP." "But that just puts you in an insanely escalating bidding war with 29 fools to see who can be most foolish with your money," you continue. "The wise one sees and develops the excellence that the other 29 teams do not see, and cannot develop."

One good reminder there that I had somehow left in the mental shredder was that the seemingly one-sided deal for McNeil was partially the result of him having undergone thoracic outlet surgery following the season.