The Mets pitching staff, specifically the starting rotation, isn't in the best shape right now. The Mets, Sports Illustrated's pick to win the World Series, just sent Oliver Perez (see today's 'Buzz Around the Bullpen' for in-depth analysis) to the bullpen to work on some control issues (On a sidenote, I was at the Mets/Phillies game Saturday when Perez walked Phillie pitcher Jamie Moyer to force in a run). Despite having three wins, Mike Pelfrey has an ERA of 6.00. Top pitching prospect Jon Niese isn't really lighting it up at AAA Buffalo (16 ER in 22.0 innings) and free agent signee Tim Redding isn't healthy yet.Given their 4.49 team ERA, is it time for the Mets to look outside the organization for another starting pitcher... someone like.... Pedro Martinez? If he truly is healthy, and that's a big if, Martinez would certainly bolster the depth of the Met pitching staff. As an MLB team, you can never have too much pitching. Other alternatives for the Mets would be Paul Byrd, Jon Lieber, and former Met Steve Trachsel, but I'd still take Pedro over any of those guys. The real question is, will the Mets make the call?
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6 comments:
I can think of a pitcher that would fit perfectly into the Mets rotation right now. He is the right age (30), relatively healthy, signed at a cheap salary, and probably not too expensive to sign. In addition, Mets fans have wanted to see this guy in their rotations of years.
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7065/career;_ylt=ArA0V7ZTbUsQfv5Mz9e4iN6FCLcF
Too bad the Wilpon family is needlessly headstrong.
Rob, assuming in this market Pedro isn't worth the $5 or 6 mill he wants...what do you think his value is to a team like the Mets?
Marc, your "player" hasn't started a game since 2005 and in his seven year career, he's only started 25 games. His "stuff" is good, but I still think the Mets would need to add a starter with October baseball experience and who better than Martinez?
In terms of his value, I don't have a problem with a team in the NY market giving Martinez his $5-6 million (especially when Oliver Perez is making $12 million this year), but I think a fair one-year contract would be between $2-$3.5 million. John Smoltz is making $5.5 million guaranteed after making 5 starts last year and Tom Glavine is making $1 million for 13 starts in '08. I'd put Martinez's contract smack in the middle of those guys. Pedro doesn't have Smoltz's durability, but he deserves more than the $1 million contract that Glavine got.
Rob:
I agree that Pedro would do more for the Mets than the player I mention. However, I feel that the Mets in recent years have experienced an oddly high number of productive, affordable castaways that they have traded away from nothing. Every franchise gives up a few prospects here and there; however, to the extent the Mets ever seem short on pitching, here are guys they simply gave up on without a rhyme or reason.
Scott Kazmir
Aaron Heilman
Brian Bannister
Heath Bell
Matt Lidstrom
Henry Owens
Royce Ring
Marc, that's a nice list you have and all of those players on one team would make a hell of a pitching staff :-)
To be fair, outside of Kazmir and stretching out Heilman to a starter, most of the players on that list wouldn't add anything, nor would they be better replacements for pitchers on the current team. Bell was awful in New York, Bannister is only as good as the defense around him, Henry Owens was on steroids, and I admittedly have no idea who Royce Ring is. Maybe Lidstrom would add value if you needed a 7th inning setup man for Putz.
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