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1/8/19

Reese Kaplan -- A Look at the 39-Man Roster



So with the weekend’s flurry of moves and Monday’s announcement that David Wright has officially worked out a release from his contract, the Mets’ 40-man roster stands at 39.  Let’s take a look:

1B (1)
Dominic Smith

2B (2)
Robinson Cano
Jeff McNeil

SS (3)
Amed Rosario
Luis Guillorme
Gavin Cecchini

3B (2)
Todd Frazier
J.D. Davis

C (2)
Wilson Ramos
Tomas Nido

OF (4)
Keon Broxton
Michael Conforto
Juan Lagares
Brandon Nimmo

SP (5)
Jacob deGrom
Noah Syndergaard
Zack Wheeler
Steven Matz
Jason Vargas

RP (7)
Edwin Diaz
Jeurys Familia
Seth Lugo
Robert Gsellman
Daniel Zamora
Drew Smith
Kyle Dowdy

Other Pitchers (9)
Jacob Rhame
Tim Peterson
Paul Sewald
Eric Hanhold 
Chris Flexen
Corey Oswalt
Drew Gagnon
Tyler Bashlor
Walker Lockett

Walking Wounded (4)
Yoenis Cespedes
T.J. Rivera
Travis d’Arnaud
Franklyn Kilome

With the former Captain's absence, the total stands at 39.  Unfortunately, your long-term roster numbers cannot change with the 60-day DL until the end of Spring Training.  No one seems to know how much longer Travis d'Arnaud and T.J. Rivera will require to heal.  However, Yoenis Cespedes and Franklyn Kilome for sure will open up two more slots.  One of them will most definitely be needed for the conspicuous name missing here -- Peter Alonso.  

Some feel that Brodie Van Wagenen is indeed done, while others think some of these minor deals over the weekend were done to set the stage for some expiring contracts to move such as Todd Frazier, Juan Lagares and Jason Vargas.  However, without any trades being made, there is now room to add another player to the 40-man roster via free agency.  In fact, I would suspect the player has already been identified and the sudden rush to get David Wright off the roster was in part due to the need to extend an offer. 

If by chance BVW has some more trades up his sleeve that could land additional bodies onto the 40-man roster, then you have to look at who has the most tenuous grip on his spot.  This list would seem to include:

Paul Sewald
Tim Peterson
Drew Gagnon
Jacob Rhame
Gavin Cecchini
Luis Guillorme
Dom Smith

I'm in the camp that BVW isn't yet done.  I hope he proves me right.  

8 comments:

  1. I have a question ...how does the David Wright matter affect the current payroll total. If the team owners are the capitalist I think they are they should seriously looking at signing Harper...season tickets sales will go up, viewership on SNY would rise, Jersey sales would skyrocket and the value of the team would increase by almost 1 billion dollars...plus the Yanks would have competition for the back page

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  2. Your point is well taken but the same could be said of Manny Machado. If we will play 3B, tell Todd to take a hike. If his heart is set on SS, then Rosario slides to 3B or perhaps gets dealt for an outfielder who hits over .200 and can stay on the field.

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  3. I am glad to welcome Machado or Harper to the Mets.

    Considering the poor outfield depth in the minors though, Harper may be the wiser choice at this time

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  4. Harper or Machado should be a prime target - swoop in and get one of them.

    If Smith is off the 40 man, is he DFA'd and subject to being claimed? This spring is huge for him, as a Met or via trade to another team. Flores was just let go....Dom might go too.

    I'm just glad your 39 man list has: THE SQUIRREL!

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  5. Nice work, Reese.

    I do think that more turnover is coming.....now that we are well into January, the "log jam" will be broken and I see some deals coming, to include a lefty for the bullpen and maybe another starter?

    Harper would be fascinating.....hard to see it actually happening, but it would be a spectacle.

    As far as the list goes, I don't see Dom and Gavin surviving under the new regime, especially if you look at what they just traded for in terms of prospects.

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  6. @Tom

    From the MLB site:

    "A club attempting to remove a player from the 40-man roster and send him to the Minor Leagues must first place that player on outright waivers, allowing the 29 other Major League clubs the opportunity to claim him. The claiming club assumes responsibility for the remaining money owed to the claimed player, who is placed on his new club's 40-man roster. Should the player clear waivers, he can be sent to any Minor League affiliate the club chooses. Outright waivers are also used when clubs wish to remove a player who is out of Minor League options from the 25-man roster by sending him to the Minors.

    If a player has more than three years of Major League service time or was previously outrighted in his career (by his current club or another club), he is eligible to reject the outright assignment and instead opt for free agency. Players with more than three but less than five years of Major League service time must forfeit any remaining guaranteed money on their contract if they reject an outright assignment. Conversely, those with five or more years of Major League service time are still owed any guaranteed money remaining on their contract, should they elect free agency following an outright."

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  7. Given the waiver rules I wondered why they did not try opting Cespedes to Syracuse...no one will pick him due to the money and health and it would clear up a roster spot

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  8. unknown-

    Im pretty sure that would both negate the insurance claim and since he is without options could be declared a free agent with the mets on the hook for the remaining salary. So he'd still get paid, the mets would be out the insuarance money and hed be free to sign with any team for the ml minimum. Like Tulo

    also you wait until the day Pete Alonso is called up to add him to the 40 man. Helps no one to add any player before you need to.

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