Alright, so its pretty obvious that Mejia needs more developmental time and shouldn't be counted on to help the MLB club until August 2012.....However I actually just learned about a little known, and frustratingly painful, fact. Due to the fact that Jerry Manuel and Omar Minaya exposed Mejia to the MLB in 2010, 2012 is actually Mejia's FINAL option year.
If kept in the minor leagues for 2012 for more than 20 days to "develop," Mejia's final option will expire which will therefore require the Mets to expose him on the waiver if he does not make the 25 man roster in 2013. Knowing do you guys think this changes the Mets thinking? The current plan is to allow him to make 3 starts before deciding his fate (3 starts equivalent to approximately 15 days with no off days).
Do they burn the final option year and force themselves to have him on the 2013 roster.....or do they move him to the MLB bullpen and have him develop in the bigs and stretch him out to be a starter in September or develop him to be a closer?
Thoughts?
Mack’s Mets – the premier site for information on the New York Mets talent pipeline and dialogue on Mets prospects, Mets news, and Mets opinions.
12 comments:
well...
he's going to get three more minor league starts regardless of what he does or where he goes...
my "educated" guess is he willl debut as the Mets SP5 around June 1...
if he pitches badly, he will end the year in the Mets bullpen...
he will NOT pitch another game in the minors (other that the 3 listed above) in 2012
without any days of rest and pitching every fifth day AND assuming the option clock did not start till yesterday, Mejia will squeeze all four "rehab" starts in 16 days with leave 4 free days before the option burns.
I agree with you Mack....and can't see Alderson risking the final option year....you never know when you might need it.
these are NOT rehab outings
reason for the quotations lol
I think he should hit the bullpen and get some innings under his belt like the reds are doing with Chapman. Let him get some confidence and have some success and go from there..
Anthony:
I agree your idea is 'by the book' but the Mets need a starter... now.
Pitching MORE innings isn't going to hurt him. The surgery is over.
It takes time to "stretch out" a pitcher to become a starter, but you can become a reliever overnight.
Mejia has already "stretched out" in simulated extended camp games... no reason not to start him now.
Over at MetsBlog, Cerrone talks all the time about how the Mets like to have their pitchers throw 130 innings above A ball. Mejia has 108 IP at AA and AAA.
I'm sure the hope is that Chris Young is ready to come up to be the SP5.
I'd rather that they allow Mejia to come back at his own pace rather than rush him to preserve an option. If everything goes as planned, the option doesn't matter.
that's funny... I was told the "magic" number was 127...
either way, it looks like the SP5 come June 1st will be either Mejia or Young, which is fine by me.
I look for Mejia to go pen and stay in Queens if both make it, but I change on this daily
Brian...
The main concern here is that IF we do leave him in the minors past May 30th and burn that Final option, the Mets will be forced to expose him on the waiver wire if we ever had to move him or if he isnt ready in 2013.
You never know when your gonna need an option...look at Phil Hughes. He had an extremely tough time finding his "stuff" last year. Having an option left allowed him to work it out in the minors and come back.
Now you look at Francisco Liriano now. The guy is having a awful time this year but without options he's gonna have to figure it out in the bullpen in probably HIGHER pressure situations.
While I WANT Mejia to stay in Buffalo till September 1st....I just can't see Alderson putting that option at risk.
DAMN YOU OMAR MINAYA and JERRY MANUEL.
Thanks to Chris Walendin, I now know that this Mejia option thing is not a concern. Check out the exception under Rule 11 (c).
EXCEPTION: Contracts of Major League players who, prior to commencement of the current season, have been credited with less than five seasons in the Major and Minor Leagues (excluding service on the Military, Disqualified, Restricted, Voluntarily Retired and Ineligible Lists) shall be eligible for a fourth optional assignment, without waivers, during that season. For purposes of this Rule 11(c), 90 days or more on the Active List during a championship season shall constitute a "season of service." While time spent on any Inactive List shall not be counted toward the 90 days required before a season's service is credited, if a player is placed on the Disabled List after the player has been credited with 60 or more days of service in any particular season, the Disabled List time shall be counted to the player's credit."
Because he didn't spend 60 days on an active roster last year, Mejia gets a fourth option.
the Mets are going to make a run for a playoff slot this year...
so far, Sandy and Company have not upset the prospect apple cart with this attempt...
promotion Mejia to Queens, either as a starter or reliever, also doesn't upset the cart...
take away the injury and he would have been on the 25-man this year
Post a Comment