With the 2014 season over it's now time to focus our attention to the 2015 off-season. With the emergence of our young stars this season and the return of the "Dark Knight of Flushing," this off-season is going to be a critical one for Sandy Alderson and company. We already took a look at Alderson's starting budget and the players already contractual committed here. We reviewed all the team friendly, renewable contracts for the young stars here and Arbitration Cases were looked at here. Now lets look at the 40 man roster we have to start with this off-season....
40 Man Roster
| Starters | Relievers | Catchers | Infielders | Outfielders | 60 Day DL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bartolo Colon
|
Carlos Torres
|
Anthony Recker
|
David Wright
|
Curtis Granderson
|
Matt Harvey
|
Jonathan Niese
|
Scott Rice
|
Travis d'Arnaud
|
Daniel Murphy
|
Eric Young Jr.
|
Bobby Parnell
|
Dillon Gee
|
Jenrry Mejia
|
Juan Centeno
|
Lucas Duda
|
Andrew Brown
|
|
Zack Wheeler
|
Gonzalez Germen
|
Ruben Tejada
|
Juan Lagares
|
||
Rafael Montero
|
Juerys Familia
|
Josh Satin
|
Matt den Dekker
|
||
Jacob deGrom
|
Victor Black
|
Eric Campbell
|
Kirk Nieuwenhuis
|
||
Steven Matz
|
Dana Eveland
|
Wilmer Flores
|
Cesar Puello
|
||
Daisuke Matsuzaka
|
Buddy Carlyle
|
Dilson Herrera
|
Bobby Abreu
|
||
Josh Edgin
|
Wilfredo Tovar
|
||||
Erik Goeddel
|
|||||
Dario Alvarez
|
|||||
Jeff Walters
|
First thing's first, 5 days after the conclusion of the Worlds Series, teams need to move all players from the 60 day DL back to the 40 man roster. Luckily for the Mets, Bobby Abreu and Daisuke Matsuzaka are only Free Agents eligible guys on the list so this makes for 2 easy transactions.
Contract Expired: RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka and OF Bobby Abreu
Reinstated: RHP Matt Harvey and RHP Bobby Parnell
Next we need to think about the Rule 5 draft. We will be reviewing the cases in our next edition but for now lets assume the Mets need to clear a total of 4 spots to protect prospects who are eligible for the draft.
Non-Tenders
The easiest non-tenders always come from the bullpen. MLB bullpens are always a revolving door in the back end of them and unfortunately for Buddy Carlyle, the Mets have a bunch of right handed pitching depth they would rather use then to give him an arbitration raise.
Release: RHP Buddy Carlyle
Budget Savings: $1,000,000
Current Budget: $97,509,000
The next non-tender should come from the over-stuffed OF currently on the roster. Eric Young Jr. has seen his role diminish from an everyday LF starter to nothing more than an occasional pinch runner 2-3 times a week. If the Mets are going to continue having a speed only guy on the bench, they are going to want to pay a lot less than $2.3M for it.
Release: OF Eric Young Jr.
Budget Savings: $2,300,000
Current Budget: $95,209,000
For the 3rd non tender, I'll look at Ruben Tejada. With Wilmer Flores playing an "adequate" defensive game at SS and possessing a bat far superior to Tejada's, Ruben finds himself demoted to a late inning defensive replacement role. But wait....Tejada isn't that good of a SS... while 2014 was his best defensive year with a +6 defensive run saved, his career rate is still a lackluster -2 DRS in almost 3,000 innings. In addition, the Mets have a young defensive minded SS on the 40 man roster in Wilfredo Tovar. In 80 AA games last season, Tovar only committed 3 errors at SS and 2 at 2B. Baseball America also called Tovar the team "Best Defensive Infielder in the System." Either the Mets are going to roll with Flores at SS or they are going to trade for/sign a Free Agent SS. In either case, Tejada is the odd man out.
For the 3rd non tender, I'll look at Ruben Tejada. With Wilmer Flores playing an "adequate" defensive game at SS and possessing a bat far superior to Tejada's, Ruben finds himself demoted to a late inning defensive replacement role. But wait....Tejada isn't that good of a SS... while 2014 was his best defensive year with a +6 defensive run saved, his career rate is still a lackluster -2 DRS in almost 3,000 innings. In addition, the Mets have a young defensive minded SS on the 40 man roster in Wilfredo Tovar. In 80 AA games last season, Tovar only committed 3 errors at SS and 2 at 2B. Baseball America also called Tovar the team "Best Defensive Infielder in the System." Either the Mets are going to roll with Flores at SS or they are going to trade for/sign a Free Agent SS. In either case, Tejada is the odd man out.
Release: SS Ruben Tejada
Budget Savings: $1,700,000
Current Budget: $93,509,000
This last one is a tough one. Based on team and managerial trends, Terry Collins likes to hold 5 OF, 6 IF, and 2 C on his roster. When looking at the current roster, we immediately look at Satin, Campbell, Brown, Den Dekker, Nieuwenhuis, and Puello. Satin, Den Dekker, and Campbell still have options remaining so keeping them gives the club flexibility. This leaves us with Brown, Kirk, and Puello. Puello still has prospect upside so the club will be hard pressed to let him go, which may in turn force them to keep him on the roster as the 5th OF. So your left with Kirk and Brown. When you look at just those two you realize....."the Mets bench guys are Recker, Campbell, Satin, and Puello....all righties." That makes the decision easy for me.
This last one is a tough one. Based on team and managerial trends, Terry Collins likes to hold 5 OF, 6 IF, and 2 C on his roster. When looking at the current roster, we immediately look at Satin, Campbell, Brown, Den Dekker, Nieuwenhuis, and Puello. Satin, Den Dekker, and Campbell still have options remaining so keeping them gives the club flexibility. This leaves us with Brown, Kirk, and Puello. Puello still has prospect upside so the club will be hard pressed to let him go, which may in turn force them to keep him on the roster as the 5th OF. So your left with Kirk and Brown. When you look at just those two you realize....."the Mets bench guys are Recker, Campbell, Satin, and Puello....all righties." That makes the decision easy for me.
Release: OF Andrew Brown
Budget Savings: $550,000
Current Budget: $92,959,000
10 comments:
Have to agree on all counts, Chris. Brown should get an opportunity somewhere else; his window of opportunity was not seized by him. As you noted earlier, Collins sat his hot bat down when called up, but he did not hit enough when given the chance, either in 2013 or in 2014.
I'd have no problem with it being Satin being cut, either, and keeping Brown, since he can also play first. Toss up.
With Walter coming off TJS. Can he be designated than resigned and kept off the 40 man?
There are still a bunch of guys here that will have to go. I don't think Rice will be around next year. I also don't think Eveland will be around. Dario Alvarez & Leathersich would be my early favorites for the 2nd lefty spot (should they earn it).
They could DFA Recker and not lose any sleep. I don't think is any more of an upgrade over Centeno. Not sure who I'd rather have at this point though.
I wouldn't miss Satin, but I'm keeping Campbell for another year.
I'd say goodbye to Brown.
In an ideal world, the Mets bring in a LF/RF, MDD is the 4th OF and Kirk/Puello would fight for 5th OF spot in Spring Training.
If Kirk doesn't win, adios.
All in all, there are about 25 must keeps on this list (although some of them are trade candidates).
Should be an interesting offseason.
@Kevin S.
That's a good point about Jeff Walters...he will probably be DFA'd and pass through waivers. He can then be re-assigned to the AAA DL.
If a team were to claim him off the waivers....they would have to keep him on the 40 man roster through March which would potentially handicap a team's Rule 5 protection plans.
@Kevin
With Dario Alvarez struggling in the AFL and Leathersich possessing reverse splits... I actually think Eveland has the very early inside edge for the 2nd lefty role. He was solid this season for the club.
The team always carries 3 catchers on the 40 man roster and with Plawecki not needing to be protected this off-season I dont think there will be any changes there.
I too believe Satin is a DFA candidate...
and lastly....I agree with your assessment. An OF will be signed this off-season which will make Den Dekker the 4th OF/lefty on the bench, leaving Puello and Kirk to fight for the 5th spot.
Im still confused by leathersich...... do any other teams bring in a lefty to specifically face a right handes hitter?
Unless the Mets have a nice pitching coach guru who can work with this guy on developing a pitch to more consistently get opposing lefties out, then he really doesn't have a role on this team. Mets already have Familia, Mejia, Black and Parnell to pitch full innings and come in to face one righty hitter as needed.
But I don't believe he is 'out of options', so I guess the Mets can simply leave em in Vegas all next year and figure it out.
@Ernest
Quite frankly....I don't see Leathersich as either a LOOGY or a ROOGY. In my opinion I think he has the potential to be one of those 8th inning set-up role guys who could be dominant against righties and decent against lefties.
You are correct that A) he has all 3 of his options and B) he does not need to be placed on the 40 man roster yet so there's still PLENTY of time to decide what to do with him.
I agree on Jack as a generalist reliever, not LOOGY or ROOGY. He had terrific #s vs. Righties the past 2 years (.192, with a miniscule .292 slug % against). Lefties were not as good but improved a lot in 2014. Hopefully, he is watching film and strategizing on how to dominate lefties. Lefty or righty, a ton of Ks.
Tejada will be TENDERED.... 24 year old legitimate MLB Middle Infielders don't get released.
He's the only guy they have that is KNOWN to be able to play the position.
I suggest that many of you need a CURE that includes a statistical review of the MLB SS's and those who may be"available". PLEASE, name 2 .670 plus OPS guys who you can sign and trade for...they do not exist.
I'm not a fan of Tejada, but I am a baseball fan. We need to deal with reality.
Offer Sydergaard and Conforto for Castro or just go home---and I don;t think Castro is available.
the wise move would be to non-tender Parnell...
@E-Raff
First off, Syndergaard and Conforto for Starlin Castro is a ludicrous over-pay....
Second off, its been well documented that Tejada's .670 OPS is primarily driven by his .342 OBP which was aided by hitting in front of the worst hitting pitching rotation in the MLB.
If you take away just his true INTENTIONAL walks....his OBP drops to a paltry .315 which drops his OPS to a more terrible .625.
In fact, amongst MLB SS's with at least 400 Plate Appearances.....Tejada was THE ONLY ONE, who's OBP was higher than his SLG numbers.
If Flores is going to be our SS, Tejada provides 0 value on the bench
Post a Comment