Adding depth. We’ve officially agreed to a 1-year deal with Alejandro De Aza. #Mets pic.twitter.com/gqwXlrE80v
— New York Mets (@Mets) December 23, 2015
(Chris Soto: The Mets added another layer of questioning behind the whole De Aza signing fiasco. After multiple team insiders reported that De Aza was brought in to be the other half of a lefty/righty platoon with Lagares, the team published this tweet officially announcing the signing....."Adding Depth". What does this mean? De Aza's $5.75M salary certainly is quite a bit to pay for a pure bench piece.....but why would they go out of their way to make that statement?)
Joe D. | Metsmerized Online- The Mets signed a left-handed outfielder to platoon with Juan Lagares on Monday- which by the way was the team’s stated goal from the moment the hot stove season started. I thought the De Aza signing was the first misstep by the Mets this offseason. Before that I applauded every single move they’ve made. Walker is a significant upgrade all-around from Daniel Murphy and Asdrubal Cabrera is a shortstop with some power who, while he may not be the defensive stalwart you were expecting, when you have 80 percent of your rotation with strikeout rates above 10.5 that becomes barely an issue. It also frees up Wilmer Flores to become that super-utility guy I always envisioned for him.
(Chris Soto: This whole Alejandro De Aza story has really over exploded. Joe is right.....this was the Mets plan from Day 1 and they've been saying it ALL off-season. Statistically speaking, Walker is an upgrade over Murphy, Cabrera IS an upgrade over Flores, and Flores as the UT guy is an upgrade over Kelly Johnson. Now the duo of Lagares/De Aza is a step down offensively from a full season of Cespedes but as good as Cespedes was in August and early September for the Mets.....he was equally awful in late September and October. So yea, the overall stats take a hit, but the club probably gets more consistent offensive contributions. Most important in this whole thing, though, is the fact that Cespedes is STILL a Free Agent! The off-season is not over, and while the chances are small, there is still a chance that the Mets reverse course and sign him if the price is right. It's not like the team is forced to make De Aza and Lagares their starter. The club could very easily use them on the bench which would make them a nice upgrade over the 2 OF's we entered the off-season with [Kirk and Ceciliani])
HOT STOVE REPORT (courtesy of mlbtraderumor.com)
- C Johnny Monell has cleared waivers and has been assigned to AAA Las Vegas. Monell was DFA'd last week to make room on the 40 man roster for SP Bartolo Colon.
- The Mets lost 3 more minor league free agents as the mass exodus from their upper level teams continue.
- Both LHRP Scott Rice and RHP Tim Stauffer signed minor league contracts with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
- RHRP Jon Velasquez also signed a minor league contract to go play for the Washington Nationals
17 comments:
If Monell cleared waivers, I have to stop putting him on a pedestal.
I have a Mets stocking hanging. I expect to only find small pieces of coal in it, with a note that says, "Added Depth...Hah Humbug....signed Ebenezer Wilpon"
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD UPCOMING SEASON.
I sure hope the Mets know what they're doing......
They appear to have signed a lot of 6-7-8 hitters for the lineup.....which means they won't all be hitting 6-7-8.....
Oh and theres been a cesar puello sighting now with the Yankees
The purge of useless strikeout artists started when Recker went to Cleveland and continued with Nieuwenhuis to Milwaukee. Now if we can get Eric Young out from under Terry Collins' gaze, then there will most definitely be some addition by subtraction.
I think they say they added depth because it's not going to be a straight platoon. Lagares will be healthy next year and back to gold glove caliber CF. That plays. De Aza starts a couple of days a week against RH guys Lagares likely can't hit. The more I think about it the more I like it. Pros on the bench. Not Captain K or some AAAA kid.
LGM
Tom -
Merry Christmas to you to.
Monell would fit perfectly into my plan to be the bench catcher behind d-Arnaud while Plawecki plays every day in Vegas
IB -
That's an awful lot of money for a bench player... but I guess still far less than what Cuddyer would have been paid to sit there instead.
BTW, who' the 5th outfielder now?
Exactly what I have been cautioning about the need for that CF position to be filled with a 3rd or 4th place hitter.
Happy Christmas Eve everyone.
(Maybe not to Scrooge-Mc-Wilpon-&-Alderson though)
Mack - hopefully de Aza!
If not - Cecciliani would be rigjt now
Mack - hopefully de Aza!
If not - Cecciliani would be rigjt now
@Mack
Currently it is Darrell Ceciliani due to the fact that Nimmo is the only other OF currently on the 40 man roster.
Raburn?
Mack - Johnson and Uribe were in the same $ range weren't they? To me it signals the Mets are finally willing (or able) to pay for "depth" and that's something I've been bitching about for years.
@IB
Kelly Johnson was $1.5M
Juan Uribe was $6.5M
IB -
I have no problem with the increased talent and depth on the bench... it's the starters I worry about :)
Merry Christmas
It's Ceciliani time!
Bob, you have been a voice crying in the Wilpon Wilderness. Good man. Merry Christmas, buddy.
Post a Comment