The Mets announced a round of cuts last night, trimming from their big-league roster Nelson Figueroa, Kiko Calero, Chris Carter, Bobby Parnell, Russ Adams and Elmer Dessens.
I’ll weigh in on some of these moves more later today when I get to my bullpen preview. I’m waiting to see exactly how the Mets intend to shape their relief corps before I pen my final preseason Jenrry Mejia freakout.
I’ll say now that it’s a bit puzzling that the team will opt for three or possibly four pitchers in its Major League bullpen who did not throw a pitch in The Show last year over Kiko Calero, who pitched to a 1.95 ERA with 10.4 K/9 for the Marlins last year. Word is he’ll need more time to strengthen up and stretch out, and here’s hoping he stops by Anchor Bar while he’s doing that. Those wings are delicious.
Something I’ve learned from several years of fretting over the margins of the Mets’ roster is that these Opening Day moves don’t matter a whole ton. They may not be indicative of the world’s most promising thought process, but ultimately, the Mets will futz with their roster a dozen times in April, and at some point a proven professional like Calero should find his way onto the team. If and when he doesn’t, and when Jerry Manuel keeps trotting out some obviously lesser pitcher over and over, that’s when we raise hell.
The concerning cut among last night’s group — the one that would be perplexing if it wasn’t entirely predictable — is Figueroa. Not only did the veteran right-hander represent the Mets’ most proven insurance policy for the starting rotation, he pitched well this spring and has said he would go pitch in Japan if he didn’t make the Major League roster.
We shall see, I suppose. Figueroa grew up a Mets fan, and we tend to come crawling back. There’s some chance the Mets talked it through with Figueroa, or called his bluff, and know he’ll actually accept an assignment to Buffalo should he clear waivers.
If the Mets lose Figueroa, it will be another strike against Omar Minaya and his staff. No one’s arguing Figgy’s a Cy Young Award hopeful, but given the state of the Mets’ rotation, it’s wacky to put faith in Hisanori Takahashi and Fernando Nieve as fill-in options — two guys with big-league resumes far shorter than Figueroa’s — just because you’re eager to get Sean Green on the Major League roster to start the season.
I think the most interesting thing about the cuts, though, has been the reaction throughout the Mets’ blogosphere.
Back in the day — and I’m not calling “first,” here, this isn’t that — when I would bitch and moan about the 25th man on the Mets’ roster, most of the other voices in the Mets’ blogosphere, and especially comments sections, poo-pooed it. It seemed like John Peterson from Blastings! Thrilledge and I got really worked up over some moves, and few others paid much mind.
Now, it seems in every corner, Mets fans are lining up to rip the front office for this series of decisions. It’s always fun for the sabermetric sort to whine about the 12th pitcher on the staff, but it’s a pretty damning indictment when the entire fanbase turns on a general manager. I’m starting to think 2010 will be an interesting season for the Mets.
Tedquarters 
toughts
should have sent Mejia down to learn how to be a starting pitcher for the next ten yrs. in NY and kept figgy.
Tatis only makes it because Carter can’t play third.
Tejada has to make it because he is the only infielder with some mobility and run.The Mets bench is terrible. Not one can run or play d… an essential part or any winning team.
Unreliable pitching, poor defense and a bench whose average age in their mid 30’s means a very long season.
Can’t wait to keep up with Buffalo/Bing this season. Kind of reminds me of the early 80’s
I’m starting to think 2010 will be an interesting season for the Mets.
That is a huge understatement.
Assuming that Nieve and Takahashi are needed in the bullpen, who is our 6th starter if Figgy takes his services elsewhere? Gotta love the Mets’ brain trust. Starting pitching is our biggest weakness, so they release the 6th starter and turn the best starting pitching prospect into a reliever. Brilliant as always.
But, I have to admit, with Mejia on the roster, there is some talent in that pen. The media is focusing on the absence of an 8th inning guy, but the bullpen is deep with good arms — Nieve, Mejia, and Igarashi can all bring it. Pedro is a top-flight lefty specialist and Green could be an excellent righty specialist. Plus we have Calero and Parnell waiting in the wings at AAA. I hope they are smart enough to let Parnell start at AAA. He needs to work on his secondary offerings and to develop better command of his fastball. Repetition is the best way to do that, and you get the most reps starting.
And Reyes is a better shortstop than Hanley because Hanley is not a shortstop. His range is downright Jeterian, and he often seems indifferent in the field. He’s a third baseman waiting to happen. But, of course, he is a much better offensive player than Reyes. He’s just not a shortstop.
That’s actually not true, most advanced stats say he’s managed to be average most of his career. It isn’t pretty but he avoids making enough mistakes to make it necessary to move him.
Actually, I think most advanced stats had him atrocious a couple of years ago, but now just below average. But I could be wrong.
But as a Mets fan, I watch enough Marlins games to see that he can be quite indifferent in the field and that his range is subpar and his hands mediocre at best. If he gains any weight at all as he matures physically, they will have to move him to third. Reyes, on the other hand, is an outstanding shortstop.
These debates are always difficult if you bring in defense. I have problems arguing Piazza’s greatness against all-time great catchers because, quite frankly, Piazza wasn’t a catcher. He was a great hitter who just happened to squat behind home plate when his team was in the field.
That’s an interesting point about Ramirez, especially because — and this is frustrating because I can’t find the article now — I read something recently, quoting a player talking about how UZR is measured. The player was saying that now that the word is out about the stat, guys are playing to it (which makes a whole lot of sense, since it’s getting them better paid). The player was insinuated that other guys might, on plays they could never make, take direct routes to balls that didn’t put them in positions to make strong throws just so they could boost their UZR.
I don’t know if I buy it, and I don’t know enough about the intricacies of how UZR is calculated to know if that makes sense (then again, I doubt the players do, too). It’s definitely something to think about, though.
As for Piazza, as bad as he was at throwing out runners, I always thought he was decent at blocking balls in the dirt and the other little details of catching. Plus, I don’t think you can discount “willingness to catch” as a baseball talent. Just by strapping the gear on and sitting back there, Piazza made himself way, way more valuable, even if he wasn’t any better at the catching skills than any other player would have been.
I think the quote you’re talking about was from Ibanez, he was talking about how positioning (as well as shifts) can drastically affect a players uzr. I know that’s a major reason Jeters UZR rose insanely and Tex, who’s usually one of the best first basemen in the majors plummeted, because of the shifts the Yankees use, which makes sense because if you’re a team you’d rather your short stop and 2nd basemen be able to get to more balls than your first and 3rd basemen if you have to make the choice.
I saw that Ibanez article, but the quotes I saw were more recent than that one — the last couple of days. I want to say Troy Tulowitzki, but I can’t find it anywhere now. Turns out when you search “Troy Tulowitzki UZR,” you just find a bunch of stuff about Troy Tulowitzki’s UZR.
You’re right about Piazza, Ted. He basically made himself a mediocre catcher in all aspects other than throwing thru hard work and sheer determination, but his throwing was plain awful, especially when he struggled from time to time with his mechanics. But don’t get me wrong, I loved the guy.
Gina, as for Tex, I watch a fair amount of Yankee baseball, and he really is not very rangy. He has great hands and is a very good defender, but he makes good plays look great and is range is average at best. UZR is right about him. He is one of those guys who hides his deficiencies well with fancy glove work.
Mets fans are upset and confused by Omar’s roster moves because they operate under the inane assumption that a GM and his manager are supposed to use logic when making important decisions.
The Mets brass have proven repeatedly in the past few years that A) They aren’t willing to make important decisions – making offers to free agents, cutting ties with overpaid underperforming players or managing roster spots AND B) When forced to make a decision they usually wing it and screw everything up.
they also NEVER seem to learn from their mistakes. instead we just get the same mistakes over and over and over again.
Fire Omar.
Also, the wings at Duff’s are better.