The Mack Report – 40-man Additions, Michael O’Connor, Ex-Mets Resigning

The Mack Report – 40-man Additions, Michael O’Connor, Ex-Mets Resigning

November 20, 2010

The Mets have added SP Josh Stinson, SP Armando Rodriguez, IF Jordany Valdespin and 3B Zach Lutz to their 40-Man Roster.

These were some very interesting moves from a new management team.

-“Stinny” was a pleasant surprise, not only during the 2010 season (9-3, 4.24 at Binghamton, 2-2, 2.57 at Buffalo), but also today when he was placed on the 40-man. First of all, this is a workhorse that deserves the best. He’s a good guy with a lot of pitches, but not the velo we’re always looking for when we dream about starting pitchers. I think his future as a Met is in the pen, but he may also be being protected for a future trade in the works. Either way, there was a good chance he would be drafted, and there is room right now to protect more guys than normal.



Allen Greene

 “A-Rod” was a surprise also. I have no idea why he had to be protected. Yes, he turns 22 in January, but he signed with the Mets in 2007 and played his first season in 2008. That’s three years of service. I assume there is an explanation here, and maybe he played for another organization before joining the DSL Mets, but I can’t find anything on it. Rodrigues is a good pitcher, but not this good.

Now, Valdespin is not a surprise.This is a real time major league baseball prospect that easily would have been lost if left unprotected. Yhe problem here is the fact that the Mets just have too many prospects right now in AAA/AA at the center infield positions. We’ve written about this a number of times, so I’m going to assume you’re all up to speed with this snafu. There has to be some kind of trade in the wind that includes either “Spin”, Reese Haves, Daniel Murphy, Miquel Tejada, Justin Turner, Orlando Tovar, Robbie Shields, or Josh Satin. Come on, guys.

The Lutz move is very interesting. Here's a guy that is proving every day that he has the offensive talent to make it in the Bigs, but, since he plays only third base, he will never play for the Mets. This is an obvious move to not allow some club to sign away someone than can be packaged before the beginning of the 2012 season. Good move, Paul.

The Mets resigned RP Michael O’Connor. He had been released a few weeks ago, but is now back aboard. O’Connor is a 29-year old reliever that bounced around the old Montreal (Omar?) and Washington organization from 2002 through 2009 and wound up on Buffalo last season, going 5-2, 2.67, 1.16 in 51-appearances. He is 3.90, 1.26 lifetime in the minors and is a definite asset at the AAA level.

A few ex-Mets got back into baseball this week, while one declared for free agency.:

SP Brian Bannister decided to pack it up in Houston

2B Chase Lambin came back from playing in Japan and signed with the Minnesota Twins.

SP Yusmeiro Petit resigned with the Seattle Mariners.

LHP Willie Collazo re-signed with the Toronto Blue Jays.Collazo pitched four years in the Mets minors before catching on with the Blue Jays last season (AAA: 0-0, 4.70, in 4-G).