Matthew Silva - Trimming the Fat

The Mets have been busy lately, though not exactly in the way we want them to be. Five players were non-tendered, including Justin Turner and Jeremy Hefner. These moves save the Mets some money for the free agent process, but a couple million is not going to make a monumental difference in getting a player they want. No, this was a process of addition by subtraction. None of these players really brought much to the table in 2014 or beyond so it makes sense to send them on their way. Here, we'll take a look at what their subtractions to the squad means in the future.

Scott Atchison - This one could be seen from a mile away. With the reemergence of Jeurys Familia, it was only a matter of time until someone was shipped for a roster spot. Atchison never really added much to the team. His arm offered little in the way of excitement and was really just a guy to throw out there. He really struggled in September with a 5.91 ERA. The 37 year old may have lost something down the stretch. Familia has been working diligently to get back in shape and has done well in his winter ball endeavors. Even if he doesn't live up to the heights fans and the organization has for him, wouldn't you want a player at 24 with more talent trying to figure things out than an old vet who might have seen his last days on the mound? 

Omar Quintanilla - Another from the old guard who should be replaced buy a young up and comer. The process repeats itself. There is no reason to hold spots on the roster for players with no upside at the end of their careers. Quintanilla was never truly a threat to anyone who looked to man the shortstop position for the Mets. He struggled at the plate and had his fair share of errors. He was always seen as the type of player that simply got the job done, but we expected the failure of Ruben Tejada. So if Tejada hit .210 and Qunitanilla hit .211, he was the better option. However, it was really a struggle for me to ever get behind him as an everyday player. It is entirely possible that we haven't seen the last of Quintanilla. I'm sure they are drawing up minor league plans with him now. Lets just hope he stays there this year.

Jordany Valdespin - This knucklehead was never going to stay with this team. After his 50 game suspension, it was a done deal. This league doesn't deal with malcontent players who have links to steroids... unless you produce on the field of course. Valdespin failed to do so. His antics were magnified by his bad play. The Mets might have stomached his histrionics and comments if his batting average was a little higher, or he didn't make such boneheaded decisions. His removal makes spot available for a player who won't bring so many audible sighs from fans. Farewell, JV1. And good riddance. 

Jeremy Hefner - This is more of a case where the Mets really needed to remove his spot for someone who can play in 2014. With the injury to Matt Harvey, the Mets can't spare any extra spots for pitchers. I actually kind of feel bad for Hefner the most out of all the non tenders. He had his ups and downs as a starter, but he filled in and performed much better than anyone could have ever anticipated when his number was called. He had a couple of nice stretches where you thought that this guy could really make something of himself in the league. Of course, he suffered a terrible injury at the worst time of the year. Now he has been discarded and may find it hard to find a job in the future. I hope someone gives this guy a shot when he fully recovers. Maybe the surgery will help to add some velocity to his pitches that he sorely needs. When his fastball was stronger, his numbers were terrific. When it was a little slower on the radar gun, bombs away. Best of luck to him in the future.

Justin Turner - Last but not least, the Mets released their best utility man in Turner. It isn't that Turner is a bad major leaguer. He deserves a spot on someone's team. It is possible that he may return on a reduced contract. Unfortunately, you would be hard pressed to find a team that will give him an every day spot in a lineup, so he will be forever relegated to reserve status. However, Turner really played his best when he got a start. As a pinch hitter last year, he hit .152. That isn't helping anyone on a major league bench. He can at least dutifully man multiple fielding positions, but he doesn't really thrive at any of them. His overall game makes no sense in that he isn't known for much except for maybe his walkup music. You will see Justin Turner somewhere in the MLB next year.

Now the question is, what comes next? Hopefully something. Mets fans are dying for something, anything. Meetings with Curtis Granderson and Bronson Arroyo are something, but none of it truly is exciting. Maybe the subtractions here truly signal the first spending spree. Or maybe this is the Mets cutting corners like they always do.