Offseason Thread

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

• The Mets did not offer contracts to pitchers Jeremy Hefner and Scott Atchison, infielders Omar Quintanilla and Justin Turner, and utilityman Jordany Valdespin ahead of Monday night's deadline, making the five free agents.

•Teams had until midnight to offer 2014 contracts to unsigned players on their 40-man rosters. The Mets have seven remaining arbitration-eligible players, including first baseman Ike Davis and first baseman-outfielder Lucas Duda.

•The 27-year-old Hefner went 4-8 with a 4.34 ERA before having reconstructive elbow surgery in August.


•Valdespin, 32, hit .188 with four homers and 16 RBIs in 66 games, but he rankled many in the organization with his immaturity on and off the field.


•Atchison, 37, only worked 45 1/3 innings because of injuries. He was 3-3 with a 4.37 ERA.


•Quintanilla, Turner and Valdespin were the Mets' key backup infielders this season.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Sandy talks to Grandy

Free-agent outfielder Curtis Granderson met with New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson on Sunday, a source confirmed to ESPNNewYork.com's Adam Rubin.


Alderson already has met with Jhonny Peralta and Chris Young this offseason, with the Mets subsequently signing Young.


Granderson, who was limited to 61 games in 2013 after breaking his forearm in spring training and a pinkie during the season, turned down a qualifying offer from the New York Yankees.
Granderson's injuries contributed to his worst year with the Yankees as he finished the 2013 campaign hitting .229 with seven homers and 15 RBIs. His OPS was .723.
The veteran outfielder hit 84 combined home runs in 2011 and 2012 for the Yankees, good for the most in baseball over that time period.
Granderson, who turns 33 in March, is one of the top outfielders on the market. Jacoby Ellsbury, Shin-Soo Choo, Carlos Beltran and Nelson Cruz join Granderson among the best available free-agent outfielders

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Shame Hefner got hurt. He was a pretty solid end of the rotation guy and would've provided nice depth to the staff or in case of a trade.

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

Hefner seems pretty pissed, said he wont comment on anything till after he signs with a new team. I liked him this past year, he was solid. As for the others, don't care much for em honestly.

Would love to get Grandy here!!

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

According to reports, Sandy Alderson recently met with free-agent outfielder Curtis Granderson and there appears to some interest on both sides…


1:20 pm: The Mets want to give Granderson a three-year deal. He wants more ([ame="[MEDIA=twitter]407936965380538368[/MEDIA]"]Francesa, via Short[/ame]).
12:15 pm: The Mets are discussing Granderson after meeting with him this past Sunday, signing him is still a possibility ([ame="[MEDIA=twitter]407916331237777409[/MEDIA]"]Martino[/ame]).

3 years with an option for a fourth would be nice.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

According to reports, Sandy Alderson recently met with free-agent outfielder Curtis Granderson and there appears to some interest on both sides…


1:20 pm: The Mets want to give Granderson a three-year deal. He wants more (Francesa, via Short).
12:15 pm: The Mets are discussing Granderson after meeting with him this past Sunday, signing him is still a possibility (Martino).

3 years with an option for a fourth would be nice.

Club option for a 4th would be real nice if they add a decent buyout for him.

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

Club option for a 4th would be real nice if they add a decent buyout for him.

Looks like that is the way it's headed this morning. I really hope we land him!

8:30 am: The Mets and Granderson see eye-to-eye on a three-year deal, but he’s still looking to get four; Mets are hopeful a deal can get done, according to people close to the team ([ame="[MEDIA=twitter]408227184672006145[/MEDIA]"]Cerrone[/ame]).

8:30 am: The Mets are moving forward on Granderson, while showing less interest in OF Nelson Cruz ([ame="[MEDIA=twitter]408227045064593408[/MEDIA]"]Rosenthal[/ame]).

 

[Nasty_Magician]

I'm hoping we can wrap up the Granderson deal so that Sandy can focus almost entirely on working the trade market during the winter meetings. It's not like we don't have pieces to move. We have everyday MLB players to move and stockpile of young arms. We should be able to land some bullpen relief and hopefully get ourselves a SS or another power bat.

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

Yupp, sign Grandy and than try and land a reliable SS via trade and maybe another upgrade in the OF.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

What's the plan moving forward as far as Catcher goes?

d'Arnaud?....Recker?..... Plawecki?....Centeno?.... Maron?.... Rohan?....

 

[Nasty_Magician]

D'Arnaud has to be the guy at catcher. He was the centerpiece of the Dickey trade, he was ranked a top prospect, you have to give him a shot as the everyday guy.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Speaking of D'Arnaud, I think he could be the sleeper for this team. I don't invest a ton into what he did last year since he was returning from a broken foot and only played in meaningless games. If this guy can do damage with the bat he adds a whole new element to the lineup.

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

Definitely TDA, just needs to be consistent at the plate.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

So, speculation here, assuming we land Granderson, what are the odds we wind up moving Murphy/Ike, and then have a 1st base platoon of Flores/Duda? At least defensively this allows Eric Young to move to 2nd and we'd have an outfield of LF Chris Young, CF Lagares, RF Granderson. I think defensively that gives us the best lineup.

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

Only way we land Grandy is if we give him that 4th year, and knowing us, we wont.

I rather move Duda than Ike honestly.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

I don't want to move Murphy, unless of course we can get a no brainer in return...

Btw : have all the whispers about Ryan Braun possibly coming here died down?

 

[Nasty_Magician]

I don't want to move Murphy, unless of course we can get a no brainer in return...

Btw : have all the whispers about Ryan Braun possibly coming here died down?

I love Murph but the word is he's not a Sandy guy and he could get us a pretty decent return, especially if packaged with a young arm. Also, seeing as how we can't hold Flores back much longer and Eric Young being capable of playing 2nd it makes him expendable.

I heard that rumor a few weeks back and that's all it seemed to be. We'll see, maybe something heats back up again during the winter meetings. I feel like the Delgado/Lo Duca trade a few years back came out of nowhere so we shall see.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

4 years, $60 million for Grandy. I like it. Now go sign a starter and see if we can get another bat via the trade market.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

New York Mets, Curtis Granderson agree on 4 years, $60 million - ESPN New York

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Curious how this will work now, Grandy in left? Lagares in center and Chris Young in right? Does Eric Young move to 2nd or will he be a 4th outfielder and ride the bench?

All depends on what happens with Ike and Murphy I suppose. I'll assume they both get moved at which point do we have Flores platoon both 2nd and first? 2nd EY/Flores and 1st Duda/Flores? I wouldn't mind that at all, gives him a chance to play and essentially be an everyday player without him actually being an everyday player.

Still need a SS, I expect us to sign a starting pitcher.