Category Archives: Free Agency

Should the Mets Sign Dallas Keuchel?

7 Apr

Dallas Keuchel
TheScore.com:

Dallas Keuchel remains a free agent over a week into the regular season, and now his contract demands are emerging.

One executive spoke to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, and he’s under the impression the left-hander is seeking a one-year contract for more than the $17.9-million qualifying offer Keuchel rejected from the Houston Astros, or he’ll take a long-term deal at a lower salary.

It’s not clear if any team is offering him either of those options, according to Rosenthal.

Keuchel’s already difficult free-agent journey has become even harder now that the season is in progress. Any deal he signs for the 2019 campaign would now be prorated based on when the veteran makes his regular-season debut.

Keuchel’s won a Cy Young and Jason Vargas can’t seem to be trusted to go longer than 5 innings. If it’s really just for a year, why not pay the man the money?

Jerry Blevins Agrees To Minor League Deal with A’s

4 Feb

Jerry Blevins
ESPN.com:

Left-handed reliever Jerry Blevins has agreed to a minor league contract with the Oakland Athletics, a source confirmed to ESPN.

The deal includes an invitation to major league spring training.

The news was first reported by the New York Post.

It’s a homecoming for the 35-year-old Blevins, who pitched for the A’s from 2007-13 and was 13-6 with a 3.30 ERA and two saves during that span.

I’ll miss those epic Blevins vs. Harper matchups.

Mets Unwilling To Go An Extra Year On Gio Gonzalez

3 Feb

Gio Gonzalez
RisingApple.com:

One reason Gonzalez may still be unsigned could be because he’s looking for a multi-year MLB deal. The Mets may not be willing to offer him a major league deal due to the fact they already have a set rotation, and Jason Vargas pitched much better over the second half of the 2018 season, posting a 3.81 ERA. over that stretch.

While Gonzalez would be a great fit for the Mets on a minor league deal, he’s currently the second-best pitcher available on the free agent market, behind only Dallas Keuchel. Unless general manager Brodie Van Wagenen surprises the fan base again by signing Keuchel, Gonzalez should be their man at this point.

Gonzalez has an ERA under 2 lifetime (in 17 starts) at Citi Field. If that’s not enough to sign him, I don’t know what is.

Bryce Harper and Manny Machado Will Not Be Part of 2019 Mets

25 Jan

Bryce Harper Manny Machado

CBSSports.com:

We’ve got less than a month to go until spring training starts, and the two best free agents — Bryce Harper and Manny Machado — on the market this winter still don’t know where they’ll be playing in 2019. We do have some hints as to who some of the final teams might be in both players’ sweepstakes, but you can now definitely count the New York Mets out for both.

On Thursday, Mets Chief Operating Officer Jeff WIlpon and first-year General Manager Brodie Van Wagenen confirmed to the media that they will not be pursuing either of the two superstars.

“I don’t know how many teams have two $30 million players,” Wilpon said when asked why the team won’t pursue Harper or Machado. Wilpon is referring to Robinson Cano, who was acquired from the Seattle Mariners in a blockbuster trade this past December and Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, whose 2018 season was cut short by surgery on both of his heels.

Did anyone really think Bryce Harper or Manny Machado was going to be in the 2019 Mets Opening Day lineup? Certainly not me.

Mets Not Expecting Yoenis Cespedes To Play This Season

3 Jan

Yoenis Cespedes
Newsday.com:

As far as the Mets are concerned, the idea of seeing Yoenis Cespedes in their lineup this season should be listed under the category of a pleasant surprise. And while that had been the team’s prevailing attitude when Cespedes needed surgery on both heels to remove bone spurs, the status of the slugger’s lengthy rehab hasn’t done much to alter that opinion.

“If he gives us anything this year, that is great,” special advisor Omar Minaya said Wednesday during an interview with MLB Network Radio. “We’re happy for that.”

The Mets have resisted providing any timetable for Cespedes’ return, and with their spotty track record for such projections, it’s probably a wise strategy in this case. At the very least, the Mets should be able to recoup a sizable portion of Cespedes’ $29-million salary this season through insurance, as he has been on the disabled list since July 24 of last year.

Wow. Wasn’t the point of Cespedes ending his 2018 season early and getting surgery on both his heels so he could come back at the beginning of 2019? And now this news? Well, I’m sorry but there’s just no way you go into the new season with a starting outfield consisting of Nimmo, Conforto and an injury-prone Juan Lagares. And word has it that a very-injury-prone-of-late AJ Pollock is asking for way too much $$$ long-term. So how about spending a lot less on Nick Markakis, who btw is way more reliable than Pollock and is coming off an All-Star season?

The Mets Never Made An Offer To Andrew Miller

24 Dec

Andrew Miller
SNY:

The Yankees and Mets are both in the market to beef up their respective bullpens, but neither felt strongly enough to make an offer to left-hander Andrew Miller, according to SNY’s Andy Martino.

Miller, 33, signed with the Cardinals on Friday to a two-year, $25 million deal with a vesting option for 2021.

The Yankees and Mets both had initial interest in Miller but his durability concerns steered them away from the two-time All-Star.

The left-hander, who pitched for the Yankees in 2015 and half of 2016 before he was traded to the Indians, threw just 34 innings last season and held a 4.24 ERA (3.51 FIP) as he battled through knee, hamstring and shoulder injuries that resulted in three stints on the disabled list.

He had two stints on the DL in 2017, too, with patella tendinitis.

Good for the Mets. Miller’s recent stretch of injuries would concern me too, esp. at his age. And maybe the Mets don’t pursue a more reliable Jeurys Familia if they had signed Miller. For $25M over two years, IMO Miller just wasn’t worth the risk.

Mets Have Discussed Signing Infielder Mike Moustakas

19 Dec

Mike Moustakas
NYPost.com:

According to an industry source, the Mets last week discussed the idea of Mike Moustakas, a proven lefty bat who would bolster the lineup, but it’s unclear if the veteran infielder remains a possibility after the Ramos addition. Moustakas was discussed as a third-base option who would move Todd Frazier to first, allowing the Mets to ease rookie Peter Alonso into the lineup.

I’d rather have Moustakas at 3rd than Todd Frazier, who I feel is pretty near the end of his career. But the ides here is signing Moustakas to play 3rd and moving Frazier to 1st, which of course would surely upset the steady-waiting-for-his-shot Peter Alonso.