10/31/13

Hot Stove Report: Mets Free Agents, Contract Options, and Re-Instatements


In accordance with MLB free agency rules, the following players are now free agents and able to negotiate new contracts with other teams starting Tuesday.

RP David Aardsma
RP Tim Brydak
RP Pedro Feliciano
RP Frank Francisco
RP LaTroy Hawkins
SP Daisuke Matsuzka
SP Aaron Harang  (Had a $7MM option or a $1MM buyout however Mariners are responsible for buyout amount due to DFA and release.)

The following players have club contract options for 2014. The club must decide whether to exercise these options or pay the buyouts by 11:59PM this Saturday.

SP Johan Santana - $25.5M contract for 2014 or $5.5M buyout.

Lastly the following players have been removed from the 60 Day DL and have been reinstated onto the 40 man roster in compliance with MLB roster rules.

SP Matt Harvey
SP Jeremy Hefner
SP Jennry Mejia
RP Scott Rice
RP Bobby Parnell
RP Josh Edgin
1B Issac Davis

Assuming the club DOES NOT pick up Santana's option the 40 man roster will stand at 36 players. General Manager Sandy Alderson has repeatedly stated that Santana's buyout would count towards 2013 payroll, NOT, 2014 payroll. This leaves the club with $28MM on the books before arbitration cases and renewable contracts.

5 comments:

Mack Ade said...

$28mil in New York City...

the radios must still be playing disco...

Soto said...

Well if you offer everyone but Atchison and Quintanilla arbitration and renew any pre-arb contracts the Mets currently have that brings you up to approximately $57M.

If we assume $85M is the max payroll thats $28M to play with this offseason.

TJ said...

Soto,
Those Wilpons have more than $85 mil to spend on 2014 payroll. Also, there is a big chance tha tthe Mets will part with some currnet arb eligible players to upgrade at SS and power bat. Murph, Ike, and even Niese/Gee are candidates to be included in a package. This will drop that $57 million and allow it to be allocated to other players. Myself I think they need to spend at least $100 mil on 2014 payroll to be competitive in 2014 without parting with the big young arms like Thor, and without getting tied down with contracts over 3 years. I see that the Red Sox will offer Drew arb, even with the kid poised to take his position, so that is a further indication that prices will be very high this winter. An $85 mil payroll will do nothing more than decrease the already depressed ticket sales and SNY advertisiing revenue.

Reese said...

One guy whose name I have not heard mentioned much is Edwin Encarnacion. A right handed hitter whose strikeout totals have been going down to under 100 per season each of the past few years, he earns a very reasonable $9/$10/$10 over the next three years. With his home run power, he's the kind of guy at 1B who would be a "difference maker" and fit within the bargain-hunting Mets mindset. Also, he's only 30 years old.

What would it take to pry him loose from Cincinnati who seems to have offense to spare?

Herb G said...

Reese, it's Toronto we'd have to pry him away from. I am concerned that Anthoupolis will not want to do business with us on Encarnacion, or Bautista or Reyes for that matter, without getting Syndergaard back.

Encarnacion is an interesting case. In 2009, at the age of 26, his avg. dropped to .225 and his HRs were halved from the previous season, to 13. The following year, 2010, he hit .244 and his HRs rose to 21. With a few minor exceptions, his OPS was consistently in the .700's. Then in 2012 he magically found his power stroke, hitting 42 HRs, and then .36 in 2013, with an OPS in the .900's both years.

The lesson? Maybe we should be a bit more patient with Ike. In both 2012 and 2013 he got off to terrible starts, but came back in the 2nd half. We all know about the big 2012 comeback, when he wound up hitting 32 HRs for the year. But last year too, in a 2nd half truncated by injurry, Ike hit .286 with a .954 OPS. His XBH power was back, if not his old HR stroke. I think (and hope Sandy agrees, although what I am hearing regarding Duda gaining favor is discouraging) that Ike deserves more time. He will eventually be a consistent 30+ HR guy for someone. I hope it is us.