Friday, October 28, 2005
Mets turn attention to free agents
10/27/2005
NEW YORK -- Four players who hold great interest for the Mets -- White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko, Phillies closer Billy Wagner, Angels catcher Bengie Molina and Padres catcher Ramon Hernandez -- filed for free agency on Thursday, the first day they were eligible to do so. Each would fill a significant hole in the Mets' projected team for 2006.
At this point, the Mets have no definite designs for first base, second base, closer or catcher. Chances are the club won't sign more than two free agents and who they do sign -- if any -- will dictate what other free agent they will pursue.
For example, if they were to sign Hernandez and Konerko, they might be more inclined to have rookie Anderson Hernandez play second base. But if they were to sign Braves shortstop Rafael Furcal -- he was not among the 62 players who filed for free agency on Thursday -- to play second base, as they have discussed, and Molina, they might be more inclined to have rookie Mike Jacobs play first base next season.
The Mets will begin to put their planned pursuit in action now that players who have filed are free to speak with all clubs. Only a free agent's incumbent club can negotiate a contract during the 15-day filing period which began Thursday. But all clubs can discuss how the player would be used, the strengths of the club and the benefits of playing in a specific market.
Two Mets were among those who did file: Marlon Anderson and Danny Graves. Anderson is almost certain to return. He is a favorite of manager Willie Randolph and signed with the Mets last offseason because of his desire to play for Randolph. Anderson batted .321 as a pinch-hitter and .246 overall in 2005. He started 47 games -- 16 at first, 16 at second, four in left field, nine in right and two as the designated hitter.
Graves will not to return. His Mets tenure was marked with appearances that, for the most part, were brief and ineffective. Now his tenure looks the same. The Mets declined to exercise their option on the contract of the veteran relief pitcher on Thursday, choosing to pay a $500,000 buyout rather that pay him $5 million for 2006.
The Graves move came as no surprise. The former closer not only pitched poorly -- a 5.75 ERA in 20 appearances and 20 1/3 innings -- he also was removed from the Mets 40-man roster for two weeks in the late summer. Signed by the Mets on June 11 after he was released by the Reds, Graves allowed 29 hits, five of them home runs, and eight walks and hit three batters. Opponents batted .337 against him.
Graves is one of six players with options for 2006 who ended the season with the Mets. The others include Braden Looper and Doug Mientkiewicz -- whose contracts require action by the Mets on Monday -- Kaz Ishii, Felix Heredia, Dae Sung Koo and Steve Trachsel. Only Trachsel's option is likely to be exercised.
There was little chance the Mets would exercise their option on Mientkiewicz's contract when the season ended, and his public criticism of the club on Monday only reinforced that likelihood. By not picking up the option, the Mets save the entire $3.75 million Mientkiewicz would have earned in salary next season. He receives $450,000 by the terms of the buyout in the contract. But the Red Sox, the club from which the Mets acquired the first baseman in January, is obligated to pay that figure.
Mientkiewicz batted .240 in 275 at-bats, his strikeouts (39) and double play ground balls (11) nearly exceeding his RBI total (29) and extra-base hits (24).
Koo, who already is off the 40-player roster, Heredia and Ishii were three of the seven left-handed pitchers who appeared in Mets games last season, joining Tom Glavine, Royce Ring, Tim Hamulack and Mike Matthews. Of the seven, Glavine is the only one certain to return. The other six southpaws for 134 2/3 innings or 39 percent of the 346 innings thrown by Mets left-handers in 2005. Their combined ERA was 5.35.
The Mets have seven players eligible for free agency -- Miguel Cairo, Mike DiFelice, Roberto Hernandez, Jose Offerman, Mike Piazza, Shinjo Takatsu and Gerald Williams.
Source: http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/
NEW YORK -- Four players who hold great interest for the Mets -- White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko, Phillies closer Billy Wagner, Angels catcher Bengie Molina and Padres catcher Ramon Hernandez -- filed for free agency on Thursday, the first day they were eligible to do so. Each would fill a significant hole in the Mets' projected team for 2006.
At this point, the Mets have no definite designs for first base, second base, closer or catcher. Chances are the club won't sign more than two free agents and who they do sign -- if any -- will dictate what other free agent they will pursue.
For example, if they were to sign Hernandez and Konerko, they might be more inclined to have rookie Anderson Hernandez play second base. But if they were to sign Braves shortstop Rafael Furcal -- he was not among the 62 players who filed for free agency on Thursday -- to play second base, as they have discussed, and Molina, they might be more inclined to have rookie Mike Jacobs play first base next season.
The Mets will begin to put their planned pursuit in action now that players who have filed are free to speak with all clubs. Only a free agent's incumbent club can negotiate a contract during the 15-day filing period which began Thursday. But all clubs can discuss how the player would be used, the strengths of the club and the benefits of playing in a specific market.
Two Mets were among those who did file: Marlon Anderson and Danny Graves. Anderson is almost certain to return. He is a favorite of manager Willie Randolph and signed with the Mets last offseason because of his desire to play for Randolph. Anderson batted .321 as a pinch-hitter and .246 overall in 2005. He started 47 games -- 16 at first, 16 at second, four in left field, nine in right and two as the designated hitter.
Graves will not to return. His Mets tenure was marked with appearances that, for the most part, were brief and ineffective. Now his tenure looks the same. The Mets declined to exercise their option on the contract of the veteran relief pitcher on Thursday, choosing to pay a $500,000 buyout rather that pay him $5 million for 2006.
The Graves move came as no surprise. The former closer not only pitched poorly -- a 5.75 ERA in 20 appearances and 20 1/3 innings -- he also was removed from the Mets 40-man roster for two weeks in the late summer. Signed by the Mets on June 11 after he was released by the Reds, Graves allowed 29 hits, five of them home runs, and eight walks and hit three batters. Opponents batted .337 against him.
Graves is one of six players with options for 2006 who ended the season with the Mets. The others include Braden Looper and Doug Mientkiewicz -- whose contracts require action by the Mets on Monday -- Kaz Ishii, Felix Heredia, Dae Sung Koo and Steve Trachsel. Only Trachsel's option is likely to be exercised.
There was little chance the Mets would exercise their option on Mientkiewicz's contract when the season ended, and his public criticism of the club on Monday only reinforced that likelihood. By not picking up the option, the Mets save the entire $3.75 million Mientkiewicz would have earned in salary next season. He receives $450,000 by the terms of the buyout in the contract. But the Red Sox, the club from which the Mets acquired the first baseman in January, is obligated to pay that figure.
Mientkiewicz batted .240 in 275 at-bats, his strikeouts (39) and double play ground balls (11) nearly exceeding his RBI total (29) and extra-base hits (24).
Koo, who already is off the 40-player roster, Heredia and Ishii were three of the seven left-handed pitchers who appeared in Mets games last season, joining Tom Glavine, Royce Ring, Tim Hamulack and Mike Matthews. Of the seven, Glavine is the only one certain to return. The other six southpaws for 134 2/3 innings or 39 percent of the 346 innings thrown by Mets left-handers in 2005. Their combined ERA was 5.35.
The Mets have seven players eligible for free agency -- Miguel Cairo, Mike DiFelice, Roberto Hernandez, Jose Offerman, Mike Piazza, Shinjo Takatsu and Gerald Williams.
Source: http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/
