Mets interested in Jose Valverde;Offer out to Non Closer

[Marty Mcfly]

I and many others though Francisco would be good, while Rauch would suck. Nothing really suggested Francisco would suck really. He had solid ERAs in tough ballparks.

There was everything to suggest that fat frank would struggle as a closer, dunno how you missed it, he lost his closing job three times before he got here...

[Marty Mcfly]

The last two years they have sucked, but in 2010 they were quite good actually. They were 9th in ERA.

Over the last 10 years how many good bullpens have the Mets had?

[metswon69]

They also didn't spend much money....

Quelle surpise.

Again bullpens are not something you throw money at...

Instead of ranting look at some of the top bullpens in the league last year in ERA..

Most of them are pieced together with internal talent and low risk FA acquisitions.

It's not coincidental that teams like Baltimore, Oakland, Tampa, and KC had some of the best bullpens in baseball with some of the lowest payrolls as well.

Even Cincinnati (outside of Chapman who will be a SP this year) and Atlanta had bullpens mostly built from internal depth.

[Marty Mcfly]

Again bullpens are not something you throw money at...

Instead of ranting look at some of the top bullpens in the league last year in ERA..

Most of them are pieced together with internal talent and low risk FA acquisitions.

It's not coincidental that teams like Baltimore, Oakland, Tampa, and KC had some of the best bullpens in baseball with some of the lowest payrolls as well.

Even Cincinnati (outside of Chapman who will be a SP this year) and Atlanta had bullpens mostly built from internal depth.

They don't throw money at anything.

Tell me how many times have those four teams contended over the last 10 and when was each of those teams last WS win? Now suddenly they're the models to follow?

[metswon69]

They don't throw money at anything.

Tell me how many times have those four teams contended over the last 10 and when was each of those teams last WS win? Now suddenly they're the models to follow?

They are following everyone else's bullpen model...

In the past, they've had no internal depth to fix the bullpen and instead only throwing money at it when teams where succeeding with this current model.

And what you mentioned is not a problem in relation to the bullpen but more towards team assembling for those teams.

I am not asking this team to be those teams either, i want internal depth and a larger market payroll.

You wouldn't take a run the Rays have had over the last 5 years in comparison to what the Mets have been btw?

[The-rock-man]

I guess that depends on your definition of throwing money at bull pen help. If I sign 4 guys to minor league deals and sign 4 guys for 5 million total. I really have only spent 6 or 7 mill to fill 6 spots. Signing Frankie and Rauch for a lot more was a waste. This year it seems I can fill up the roster and then let them fight it out for a spot on the team. But realistically, what do we need 2 or 3 guys. How much can that be??? Certainly not 5 million.

[The-rock-man]

I wonder what Velarde and K-rod would take right about now?

[fanofclendennon]

Continuing to throw money at the pen is a mistake in my opinion.

It's a crapshoot, year after year, and I think history proves that as long as you have a couple of specialty guys you can depend upon (LOOGY, ground ball specialist, etc.) you're probably better of just mixing up some young arms in the pen rather than trying to hit jackpot by paying for FA acquisitions.

Agreed.

[metsbulls1025]

I don't know how giving out minor league deals to bullpen arms equals us consistently throwing money into the bull pen. There is a very good chance non of these signings make the team.

[metswon69]

I don't know how giving out minor league deals to bullpen arms equals us consistently throwing money into the bull pen. There is a very good chance non of these signings make the team.

Exactly, the only guaranteed contract they are talking about is possibly Valverde (and K-Rod or Cordero if Valverde signs somewhere else)

Everyone else if they made the team out of spring training would make the veteran's minimum which is 490,000 bucks.

[YoungStuna]

There was everything to suggest that fat frank would struggle as a closer, dunno how you missed it, he lost his closing job three times before he got here...

3 times? No, he only lost it once to Neftali Feliz.

He was an above average relief asked to be our closer, it hasn't worked out in the first season, so I'm hoping we can get a guy like Valverde to close and put Francisco in a 7th/8th inning role.

[jomota]

Port St Lucie is going to look like a shoe box full of old baseball cards.

[Sick Of It All]

If the Mets sign Valverde it will help the economy or at least all the Spanish food restaurants around citifield.

Those 2 would be the heaviest setup/closer combo in baseball.

[fanofclendennon]

Port St Lucie is going to look like a shoe box full of old baseball cards.

At this point I'd settle for the shoebox.

[Captain Moroni]

Never know when you will strike gold. If we re not buying porches...get as many buicks as you can and catch lightning in a bottle