Mack Stuff – Bob Raissman, Cody Ross, Josh Rodriguez, Pittsburgh Pirates

Mack Stuff –  Bob Raissman, Cody Ross, Josh Rodriguez, Pittsburgh Pirates

Former St. Lucie Mets Food & Beverage Manager Brian Paupeck named GM of the Kingsport Mets.

Arizona signs SP Nelson Figueroa.

Miami signed P John Maine

OF Jason Botts homered and doubled in his fourth straight multi-hit game for Cañeros.

There was once a sports media critic in this town named Bob Raissman. He was a must-read, whether you agreed with him or not. I always felt he was more even-handed than the Post’s resident finger-pointer Phil Mushnick (still a great read, even though I agree with what he says about 2% of the time), while the current king of media watchdogs, Neil Best, didn’t start his Sportswatch column until 2005. So for me, it was Raissman and Mushnick, Mushnick and Raissman.  http://gothamnation.wordpress.com/2012/12/21/the-fred-wilpon-files-whatever-happened-to-bob-raissman/

Diamondbacks Reach Agreement with Cody Ross: Three Years $26 Million

                That is an amazing amount of money for a ballplayer that plays lousy half the time. We have spent the past month debating online whether or not guys like Ross deserves a two-year deal. Guess he didn’t… he got three years. Hindsight would be Angel Pagan. I’m also starting to realize that the best plan may just be to play what we have and see how the cards play out. This would make your 5-man outfield Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Lucas Duda, Mike Baxter, Jordany Valdespin, and Collin Cowgilll. Take what money you have left and go get yourself a killer relief pitcher for the next couple of years. I’m fine with Jenrry Mejia as my SP5 and the cost for relievers isn’t like outfielders who are now as expensive as milk is going to be come Jan 1^st . We can revisit this next off-season when the team is cash-rich.

The Mets quietly resigned minor league shortstop Josh Rodriguez. Rodrigues was a 2^nd round draft pick out of Rice University, in 2006, by Cleveland. He played parts of six years in the Indians system, the best year being 2010 for AA-Akron (.317/.405/.476/.881). The Pirates drafted him in the 2010 Rule 5 Draft, and he actually got 12-Abs for the parent Pirates in 2011 (.083). The Pirates released him at the end o the 2011 season and the Mets picked him up, playing him both at AA-Binghamton (.290), and AAA-Buffalo (.265). Combined stat line: .276/.348/.435/.784, 13-HR, 61-RBI. He will play 2013 as a 28-year old and could backup either Wilfredo Tovar in Las Vegas, or TJ Rivera in Binghamton.

Michi asked - Hey Mack, I just read that the Pirates and Red Sox finalized a trade which sent, among others, Jerry Sands to Pittsburgh. So the Pirates have too much OF.  So do you think Jose Tabata wouldnt be a nice fit for the Mets? Hope you have a few ideas for my question like the last time! Mack i wish you and

Mack: Thanks for your question, Michi. As you have learned by now, I am doing a series trying to identify each team ‘s outfield and where there might be someone the Mets can target.

Regarding Tabata… well, let’s do the Pirates now:

In Search For An Outfielder – Pittsburgh Pirates

We now move on to the Pittsburgh Pirates, who, with the addition of Jerry Sands, now has seven (7) outfielders on their 40-man roster:

                (1B-OF) Jerry Sands – bats right –

                (1B-OF) Garrett Jones – lefty – ARB-2 -  MLB, 475-AB,  .274, 27/86

                Starling Marte – bats right –  MLB, 167-AB, .257

                Andrew McKutchen – bats right – $51.5mil thru 2017 – MLB, 593-AB, 31/96

                Alex Presley – lefty –  pre-ARB – MLB, 346-AB, .237

                Travis Snider – lefty –  Pre-ARB -  MLB, 128-AB, .250

                Jose Tabata – bats right - $3.167/2014, $4.167/2015, $4.667/2016 – 333-AB, .243

Well, I’m sure Sands wasn’t included in the Boston deal to be a starting outfielder. Look for him to platoon with Jones at first base; however, they both become alternatives for the outfield as well. I’d say one of the seven listed above has to go before opening day.

I’m sure Tabata was moveable before Saturday’s deal with Boston, but the Pirates now have their closer and I’m not sure what they would want from the Mets for him.

I’d give it a go with a three player prospect deal… say Flores/Familia/Robles (I'm not afraid to offer too much here... )

Mets target:  Jose Tabata – originally signed as an international free agent by the Yankees in 2005… will play 2013 as a 24 year old… miserable 2012: .243/.315/.348/.664… limited to 333 at bats… needs a new home. Slots perfectly into left field.