Kamis, 31 Januari 2013

Mets sign LaTroy Hawkins

Latroy Hawkins polaroidThe Mets have signed free-agent RHP LaTroy Hawkins to a minor deal with an invite to Spring Training, according to Bob Nightengale at USA Today.

Hawkins, 40, had a 3.64 ERA in 42 innings of relief last season for the Angels.

According to MLB Trade Rumors, 'His fastball still averaged 92.3 mph. However, 'his 5.4% swinging strike rate was the lowest of his lengthy career.'

8:00 am: Even after signing Hawkins, the Mets are still looking to add relief pitching, tweets Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.

Michael Baron, MetsBlog.com:

I like the strategy Alderson is employing for the bullpen this winter. He is adding a lot of veteran guys on low-risk deals, throwing them up against the wall and hoping some of them stick. Last year, he awarded some large contracts to relievers ' including the closer ' and got the worst bullpen in the game. It's not to say this strategy will work any better, but it's better than allocating a significant percentage of payroll to guys who are ultimately crapshoots year-over-year.

In addition, should the Mets take some of these veterans out of camp, it will afford them some flexibility with guys like Jeurys Familia and Jenrry Mejia by sending them to the minors, if necessary'



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Alderson says he's responsible for lack of spending, not Ownership

Matthew Cerrone, MetsBlog.com:

Sandy Alderson, John Ricco, Paul DePodesta and JP Ricciardi held a Q&A with season-ticket owners last night at Citi Field.

Screen shot 2013-01-31 at 1.25.11 AM

According to tweets from the event, curated by ESPN New York's Adam Rubin, Alderson said:

'The reason we haven't spent the money is not because of Fred Wilpon. It's because of me. ' We understand what the market dictates and we have to be prepared to exist in that market. ' Am I going to recommended that we sit here in New York City and function like the Oakland Athletics for the next 10 years? No I'm not. ' I'm not asking you to believe me until you see some manifestation of that, which I hope is sooner rather than later. ' We don't want to be there one year and gone the next.'

The team has been hinting all winter that Alderson has money to spend, roughly $15 million these days, and it's up to him how or when he uses it. Similarly, it's up to you whether to believe that or not. I've heard all the crazy conspiracy theories on why he isn't spending. I don't buy in to them, but I do like that Alderson acknowledges that the proof is ultimately in the product he builds (be it today's or tomorrow's). The thing is, as far as 2013 goes, even if he was given a $20 million budget for new acquisitions, it wouldn't have been enough money to sign a big-time bat, a starter and relievers. He would have been bargain hunting either way. And, even if he had more to spend, would that make signing Nick Swisher to a five-year deal any less wrong? No. Swisher for five years is a bad idea regardless of budget, payroll, and who is writing the check. The same goes for Melky Cabrera, or giving Josh Hamilton a long-term deal to play in New York City at 31 years old. Bad baseball moves are bad no matter how much money you have in your wallet' just ask the Yankees.

At the same time ' and this would have been a good question for Alderson, and maybe something Kevin Burkhardt can ask him on tonight's Mets Hot Stove show ' why is he seemingly so against giving long-term deals to older, mid-level, role players, especially at time when he's goofing on his own outfield? Cody Ross and Scott Hairston are not All Stars, but combined they could have been under contract for the next two to three years, earning a collective $10 to $12 million or so, and likely contributing three or four extra wins over the course of a year. They're not the difference between a pennant race and a terrible season, but they would have at least bridged the gap to a better outfield, not to mention let Alderson save face by putting a complete, major-league team on the field. These guys would not have cost draft picks. They wouldn't intere with the long-term plan in a significant way. They didn't cost huge money, especially when considering how much is coming off the books after next year. And, at the very least, Hairston and Ross could have shifted to the bench in the event better outfielders emerge down the road'

I'm disappointed and confused by these lack of acquisitions, not the lack of marquee names. I know from people on all sides of the situation that the Mets were talking to these players, as well as some in trade, but nothing materialized. Actually  that seemed to be the story at every turn this winter ' with a rumored chase for Michael Bourn still in progress ' so I understand why some fans are skeptical of Alderson's statement last night. He's either so focused and resolute that nothing else matters except for stripping this franchise clean and rebuilding it for a new economic era in baseball' even if that means us watching an incomplete roster. Or, he's so locked in on the horizon, he's misunderstanding the short-term need to keep us entertained and interested. I'm not sure which it is, but I'm eager to understand and watch it play out'



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Chances of Roy Oswalt joining Mets are now remote

The Mets have reportedly shown interest in signing RHP Roy Oswalt.

Matthew Cerrone, MetsBlog.com:

4:52 pm: I agree with ESPN New York's Adam Rubin (see below). Yesterday, I heard the Mets still felt there was a chance something could get done, but they were more interested in Oswalt as a back-of-the-bullpen guy, maybe even a closer, maybe even on a guaranteed deal, but specifically for the pen. And, it sounds to me like he is still interested in being a starting pitcher, maybe even doing the old Roger Clemens deal of joining a team in a pennant race just for the second half, which is not what the Mets have in mind.

2:06 pm: The chances of Oswalt joining the Mets are now remote (Rubin, ESPN New York).

Jan. 29: There's still a chance the Mets sign Oswalt (Cerrone, MetsBlog).

Jan. 27: The team did have internal discussions about him before they signed Marcum (Martin, New York Post).

Jan. 26: Oswalt's agent is unaware of any interest from the Mets (Carig, Newsday).

Statistics, information, and analysis on Roy Oswalt...

Jan. 12: Oswalt might still want to pitch, but on his terms and perhaps for only a half a season (Cafardo, Boston Globe).

Stats: Oswalt, 35, went 4-3 with a 5.80 ERA in 17 appearances and nine starts with the Rangers last season. He worked only in relief during the month of September.

Oswalt went 3-3 with a 6.36 ERA in nine starts in 2012, allowing 33 earned runs, 69 hits, ten walks and nine home runs in 46 2/3 innings.

Oswalt didn't begin his season until June 22, but didn't sign with the Rangers until mid-May.

Contract: Oswalt signed a one-year, $5 million contract with Texas at the end of May last season.

Matthew Cerrone, MetsBlog.com:

I was told it's still a possibility the Mets will sign Oswalt. I wonder if the Mets are considering Oswalt for a starter-reliever type role, like he did for Texas last season? The questions are: would he take a minor league deal, because I don't think the Mets are looking to fill this role with a guarantee; and is he willing to pitch in relief? I was under the impression he was more likely to sit out and be a starter for just the second half, than he was to accept a minor league deal to maybe end up in the bullpen all season. But, who knows what he has in mind? He's always been a bit of an enigma'

Michael Baron, MetsBlog.com:

Oswalt has historically been a hard sinkerballer, and his velocity was still in the low 90's last season with the Rangers. But he allowed 1.7 home runs per nine innings last season, which was the highest rate he's posted in his career. While he struck out 59 batters in 59 innings, he allowed 90 baserunners over the same span. Maybe that was attributed to rust and a fluxuating role, but I wonder if it also had to do simply with his skills diminishing.



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Rabu, 30 Januari 2013

Kelly Shoppach agrees to sign with Mariners