The New York Mets signed RHP Kiko Calero to a minor league contract worht up to $1.5 million. Calero, 35, will earn $850k if he makes the Mets with another $650k in incentives. There is no opt-out clause in the deal so the Mets can send him to the minors after Spring Training. With free agent acquisition Kelvim Escobar already sidelined with an injured, the Mets needed to make this move to shore up their pitching staff, although they needed a lefty specialist more than Calero.- link
Pat Misch pitched three shutout innings for the Mets in their 9-5 exhibition loss to the Braves today, but he remains on the periphery of the competition for the fifth spot in the rotation.
“I am anxious, but I have a chance if I just stay within myself,” Misch said. “I felt good, but it’s early and there’s a long way to go.”
Jerry Manuel sees the lefty Misch as insurance for the rotation and as a possible long reliever who could compete for a job with Hisanori Takahashi.
“I think I have a good opportunity to make the starting rotation,” Misch said, adding that he wouldn’t mind a stint in the bullpen. “I think that’s where I can help the team. If that doesn’t work out, I mean, there’s a lot of great guys, but I’ve also pitched out of the pen before.” - - link
Eric Beaulac grew up as a Mets fan in Troy, N.Y., and was drafted by them in the ninth round of the 2008 draft after pitching for three years at Division II LeMoyne. He has had pretty consisent success in the minors, with his best stint coming last year with Low-A Savannah. In 26 appearances (19 starts) spanning 116 innings, Beaulac went 7-7 with a 2.95 ERA, striking out 133 and walking 41 in 116 innings.
After his success with Low-A Savannah last year, Beaulac will look to do similar things this season, and will likely start the year with High-A St. Lucie. A repeat of his success last season could see the 23-year-old begin to rise a little more qucikly through the organization, possibly seeing Double-A Binghamton before the end of the year. It also would make a potential debut in the majors sometime in the 2011 season a real possibility. - link
They did me a favor," Wagner said of his trade to the Red Sox in which the Mets got back two marginal minor league prospects including lefty-swinging outfielder Chris Carter, who is vying for their 25th roster spot. "They traded me to a contender where I got a chance to pitch in a pennant race and show that I was healthy again. I have no hard feelings. Your closer gets Tommy John surgery, you have to get another closer and they got themselves a good one in Frankie (Rodriguez). He was a great teammate - link
"He's got great stuff. He's a big guy. His ball moves. It's powerful sink," Manuel said.
Baseball scouts notice movement on pitches as college basketball recruiters notice 6-foot-10 high school freshman. In some cases -- Doug Sisk, Rick Aguilera, Mariano Rivera and Jenrry Mejia to name a few -- the movement is as natural as moss on the north side of a tree. It can't be taught any more than height can be taught. And Eddie Kunz has both, natural movement and height.
At 6-foot-6, 260 pounds, he could be some school's power forward. Instead, he throws a power sinker that seldom makes contact with the sweet spots of bats. Kunz makes his living hitting the bottoms of bats. - link
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