Adam Rubin | ESPN New York- The Chicago Cubs have claimed left-handed reliever Jack Leathersich off waivers from the New York Mets. Leathersich, 25, underwent Tommy John surgery on July 30, so he is not due to return until next summer. The Mets have a shortage of left-handed relievers, but chose anyway to remove Leathersich to clear a spot ahead of Friday's deadline to add prospects to the 40-man roster to shield them from the Rule 5 draft.
(Chris Soto: I don't blame the Mets for removing a guy from the 40 man roster who will likely not contribute to the team during the 2016. There is never a guarantee that a player comes back from Tommy John Surgery 100%, as evidenced by Bobby Parnell. That said, I don't think anyone would have expected Leathersich to be claimed. Even stranger....Leathersich was not the only New York reliever recovering from TJS to be claimed on waivers as the Yankees RHRP Chase Whitley was also grabbed off of waivers by Tampa Bay.)
Kristie Ackert | NY Daily News- Noah Syndergaard had dreamed of being a big leaguer most of his life, but ever since 2013, he had dreamed specifically about getting a chance to get back to New York City. “I love it here,” Syndergaard said. “I had some time after the season and I wanted to just experience all I could of it. I wanted to do things I couldn’t do in the season and I am having a lot of fun. I want to be a Met for life, I love it.”
(Chris Soto: Syndergaard is quickly becoming my new favorite Met....a position that has been empty since the departure of Jose Reyes. He's fiery, he's talented, he can throw it by you with a 100 mph fastball or make you look ridiculously silly on a 84 mph hammer curveball. These kind of statements, these "natural" statements, are something you don't hear coming out of the mouth of a Matt Harvey. While I'm certainly enjoying the wonders of 3 aces in the Mets rotation right now....I know when push comes to shove....we can't afford to extend all 3 of them. If I had to choose 2 of deGrom, Thor, and Harvey right now, with the 3rd being traded and bringing in a massive amount of young talent, I would be choosing Thor and deGrom.)
HOT STOVE REPORT (courtesy of mlbtraderumor.com)
(Chris Soto: Not knowing what exactly is going to happened with Papelbon and the Nationals....adding a guy like O'Day to the bullpen mix adds a ton of depth to an already good bullpen. That said though, you have to wonder what the value add is? Is $9M per season really best spent on a 7th inning bullpen arm or would it be more helpful elsewhere? As for the Seung-Hwan Oh, if I'm the Mets I would certainly take a flyer on Oh. Especially knowing that his numbers were so dominant in what is widely known as a hitting friendly environment in the Korean Baseball League. Also....he has a bad ass nickname...."The Final Boss")
(Chris Soto: I don't blame the Mets for removing a guy from the 40 man roster who will likely not contribute to the team during the 2016. There is never a guarantee that a player comes back from Tommy John Surgery 100%, as evidenced by Bobby Parnell. That said, I don't think anyone would have expected Leathersich to be claimed. Even stranger....Leathersich was not the only New York reliever recovering from TJS to be claimed on waivers as the Yankees RHRP Chase Whitley was also grabbed off of waivers by Tampa Bay.)
Kristie Ackert | NY Daily News- Noah Syndergaard had dreamed of being a big leaguer most of his life, but ever since 2013, he had dreamed specifically about getting a chance to get back to New York City. “I love it here,” Syndergaard said. “I had some time after the season and I wanted to just experience all I could of it. I wanted to do things I couldn’t do in the season and I am having a lot of fun. I want to be a Met for life, I love it.”
(Chris Soto: Syndergaard is quickly becoming my new favorite Met....a position that has been empty since the departure of Jose Reyes. He's fiery, he's talented, he can throw it by you with a 100 mph fastball or make you look ridiculously silly on a 84 mph hammer curveball. These kind of statements, these "natural" statements, are something you don't hear coming out of the mouth of a Matt Harvey. While I'm certainly enjoying the wonders of 3 aces in the Mets rotation right now....I know when push comes to shove....we can't afford to extend all 3 of them. If I had to choose 2 of deGrom, Thor, and Harvey right now, with the 3rd being traded and bringing in a massive amount of young talent, I would be choosing Thor and deGrom.)
HOT STOVE REPORT (courtesy of mlbtraderumor.com)
- Per Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com, the Nationals have jumping into, and are now leading, the race to sign free agent RHRP Darren O'Day. The Nationals have a competitive edge in their pursuit since O'Day's wife currently in employed in the D.C. area.
- Per Newsday's Marc Carig, Korean closer Seung-hwan Oh is on the Mets radar as a potential free agent addition to their bullpen as they continue to look for options to bolster their late inning set-up core to Juerys Familia.
(Chris Soto: Not knowing what exactly is going to happened with Papelbon and the Nationals....adding a guy like O'Day to the bullpen mix adds a ton of depth to an already good bullpen. That said though, you have to wonder what the value add is? Is $9M per season really best spent on a 7th inning bullpen arm or would it be more helpful elsewhere? As for the Seung-Hwan Oh, if I'm the Mets I would certainly take a flyer on Oh. Especially knowing that his numbers were so dominant in what is widely known as a hitting friendly environment in the Korean Baseball League. Also....he has a bad ass nickname...."The Final Boss")
22 comments:
Chris,
I am looking at the Buccera decision to leave him off the 40 man roster. Am I wrong or was he signed in 2012 as a 17 year old and gets a 5 year exemption from the Rule 5 draft.
I see everyone getting upset over the decision , but doe he have to be protected?
Playing the what if game in 3.......2.........1........
What if Montero and Molina had stayed healthy all year and into this offseason? Imagine the trade possibilities that would have created right now to obtain a stud hitter.
Iove the idea of Thor staying in new york with mersr but reality is that if the money is right.......he can always simply buy a multi million dollar apartment out there and go during offseason and play wherever.......hes still young and soaking it all in right now....etc.
Sorry to see Leather go. he'll probably be back in July and we'll see him in a 2016 playoff rematch with the Cubs.
Thor is great, in every way. Roger Clemens talent without the boorishness.
If I had to chose just 2 starters, I'd choose Thor, deGrom, Harvey, Matz and Wheeler...oh, wait, that's 5!! Who can choose? Could be the best starting 5 ever.
I hope if we get the Korean guy, he is truly the Final Boss and not Oh, No!!
@Buddy3
Becerra was a bonus baby who was signed in 2011 by the Blue Jays at age 16 after the July 2nd, 2011 deadline.
Despite not playing any games in 2011, it still burns a year towards Rule 5 eligibility.
I think the mets should resign Blevins and and go after Matt Thorton both lefties. In my opinion they don't have to be strictly loogys either.
Resign Mejia as well and see what you have with him in July.
And very stupid to leave BECERRA off the 40 man roster. Not worth the gamble of a Cincinnnati taking him.
Would you blink at signing Familia for 9 mil a year as a closer? O'Day has had better numbers, who cares what inning it is? The 8th inning is just as important as the 9th inning. Closing the 9th inning is considered more special for some reason but being able to go Reed/O'Day/Familia after the starters go 6-7 innings would be devastating and fun to watch.
I am with you, Dallas. Sign O'Day.
Just thinking out loud. Assume the Nats will outbid us for O'Day, there's still Soria, Sipp & Oh Boy.
And I keep thinking that Colon, ad one year of O'Day money isn't an awful idea. He could even be the Wheeler stand-in with Neise in the pen. Vice versa works for me too.
Obviously they'r not signing anyone untile after the Rule 5 Draft.
A particular slow Hot Stove season this year...
O'days wife is a television reporter for a DC affiliate.
For Buccera, Its very rare for a single A outfielder to get picked in rule 5, bc he'd have to sit on the 25 man roster or be offered back for the entire year. You can do that with a backup catcher or a reliever otherwise the roster spot even for a bad team is too important.
Social media may be responsible for Beccera to be chosen in the Rule 5 draft. Thousands of Mets fans are making a big deal (on Twitter) about leaving this kid out in the cold.
TJR is MUCH more likely to get picked up than Beccera IMO. Wiuld have stashed him over Campbell.
Regarding Beccera:
I understand that being in low A ball may be a reason to leave him unprotected because history/reason shows that level player rarely was chosen or stayed on the other team.
What I worry about is the more recent history that teams are taking a new approach when it comes to younger talent.
This very report shows an example of this with Tommy John Surgery pitchers being taken.
Even if the thought is Becerra may get picked but have to be returned later in the year..... wouldn't you rather he stayed in your organization where you can help him develop the way you want him to?
I look at a player like Tejada, that the front office may already be doubtful in resigning and figure somebody else could have been dropped in order to protect Becerra.
Hobie.
Great point!
Why protect Campbell???
Seriously.
I think a team would be crazy to pick up WB, but i would not have protected Soup. I'd have protected WB first, unless teams have a gentlemen's agreement to lay off low A guys.
I wondered why WB was not promoted to St Lucie last season. Not wanting other teams to assess him at higher level is most likely the reason.
To be clear....I am not suggesting that O'Day isnt WORTH $9M per season because he certainly is.
What I'm saying is....is the value added, over lets say signing Mark Lowe at $4m, worth spending the extra $5M.
In my opinion....I think that money is better spend to improve the team elsewhere.
Nothing against the guy, but NO ONE would take Campbell in the Rule 5 draft
Mack-
I agree. That's precisely why Soup should have been dropped from the 40 man and Paul Sewald protected.
Re: O'Day, it's not the $9 mil, it's the 4 years that is an obstacle. Too long a deal for a reliever. I'm all in on TFB. And I'm still hoping SA works a deal with the Rays for McGee.
Dropping Campbell would not expose him to the Rule 5. He would have been DFA'd, then traded (!), waived or released.
Yes we are more likely to lose Seward (or TJR) than Beccera IMO (who I certainly don't want to lose.)
And Herb, yes, it's the 4 yrs which is why for that price, I'd take back Colon for 1 yr.
Anon, picking a pitcher recovering from Tommy John surgery is a much safer call than picking a guy in the low minors. Rule V selections have to spend the entire season on the big league roster. A guy from the low minors will sit and rot and, meanwhile, you lose flexibility. You're basically playing one man short. That almost never ends well--for the player or the team selecting him. A player who is likely to be recovering from surgery for the full season (or almost the full season) can just be stashed on the 60-day DL until the end of the season. Presto, he's yours. Cheap. And it didn't cost you anything--in terms of your roster--for the entire year. The next year, you can figure out where he's at without worrying about having to return him.
@Stubby - Interesting point. If that's the case picking up a TJ guy makes a whole lot of sense.
@Stubby
Actually....the rule states that if a "Rule 5" player spends X amount of days on the Disabled List....the Rule 5 restrictions carry over into the next season.
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