Brian Devine | Metsmerized Online- Ken Davidoff of the New York Post reports that the Mets have received several trade inquiries on CF Juan Lagares recently. Lagares is still owed $22.5 million over the next three years and took a major step backwards this year as he hit .259/.289/.358 with a 80 wRC+ in 465 plate appearances. He eventually lost his starting job in centerfield after the team acquired Yoenis Cespedes over the summer.
(Chris Soto: It is very unlikely that the Mets will trade Lagares, however, they absolutely should entertain offers. As good as Lagares is defensively, his bat lags way behind his defensive abilities. If he had not lost his job and qualified for batting titles....Lagares would have ranked 22nd out of 24 qualified centerfielders in OPS only ahead of Washington's Michael Taylor and San Francisco's Angel Pagan.)
Danny Abriano | Rising Apple- The non-tender deadline is Wednesday and the Mets are planning to tender a contract to RH reliever Jenrry Mejia. Mejia was suspended for 162 games this past July after his second positive test for illegal performance enhancing drugs. At the time of his suspension, Mejia had recently returned from his first suspension for illegal PED’s that he received in March. The Mets are monitoring Mejia’s performance for the Tigres del Licey in the Dominican Winter Leaguein order to make a decision regarding whether to tender him a contract.
(Chris Soto: I've been saying it all winter long.....Since the Mets still own cost control of Mejia, there is ZERO downside to keeping him. He not going to get a raise from his 2015 salary of $2.59M; in fact, it is more likely that the Mets offer the maximum reduction allowed via arbitration and sign him for $2.076M for 2016. On top of that, since Mejia is suspended, the Mets don't even need to pay him until his suspension is complete on July 26th so he would truly only cost the Mets $692k in 2016. There is plenty of upside in him being a potential late inning addition to the bullpen that outweighs the moral desires of the fanbase to release him.)
HOT STOVE REPORT (courtesy of mlbtraderumor.com)
(Chris Soto: It is very unlikely that the Mets will trade Lagares, however, they absolutely should entertain offers. As good as Lagares is defensively, his bat lags way behind his defensive abilities. If he had not lost his job and qualified for batting titles....Lagares would have ranked 22nd out of 24 qualified centerfielders in OPS only ahead of Washington's Michael Taylor and San Francisco's Angel Pagan.)
Danny Abriano | Rising Apple- The non-tender deadline is Wednesday and the Mets are planning to tender a contract to RH reliever Jenrry Mejia. Mejia was suspended for 162 games this past July after his second positive test for illegal performance enhancing drugs. At the time of his suspension, Mejia had recently returned from his first suspension for illegal PED’s that he received in March. The Mets are monitoring Mejia’s performance for the Tigres del Licey in the Dominican Winter Leaguein order to make a decision regarding whether to tender him a contract.
(Chris Soto: I've been saying it all winter long.....Since the Mets still own cost control of Mejia, there is ZERO downside to keeping him. He not going to get a raise from his 2015 salary of $2.59M; in fact, it is more likely that the Mets offer the maximum reduction allowed via arbitration and sign him for $2.076M for 2016. On top of that, since Mejia is suspended, the Mets don't even need to pay him until his suspension is complete on July 26th so he would truly only cost the Mets $692k in 2016. There is plenty of upside in him being a potential late inning addition to the bullpen that outweighs the moral desires of the fanbase to release him.)
HOT STOVE REPORT (courtesy of mlbtraderumor.com)
- In addition to C Anthony Recker signing with the Cleveland Indians yesterday, two additional Mets minor leaguers signed contracts with new teams. According to Baseball America's Matt Eddy, 1B Brandon Allen signed a minor league deal with the Cinncinnati Reds. The 29 yr old hit .273 AVG last season with 16 HR and 68 RBI for the Mets AAA Las Vegas team.
- Mr. Eddy also updated the Baseball America MiLB free agent tracker. His update shows that 3B Josh Rodriguez has also signed a minor league contract with the Oakland Athletics. The 30 yr old Rodriguez played most of 2015 with the AA Binghamton Mets hitting .282 with 19 HR and 76 RBI.
