NEW YORK (AP) Speedy outfielder Eric Young Jr. is becoming a free agent after the New York Mets declined to offer him a contract for next season.
The team announced the move before Tuesday night's deadline.
Young, who had been eligible for arbitration, batted .229 with 30 stolen bases in 100 games this year, when his salary was $1.85 million.
He led the National League with 46 steals in 2013 and opened this season as New York's primary leadoff hitter but managed only a .299 on-base percentage and lost playing time in a crowded outfield. The switch-hitter finished with a homer and 17 RBIs in 316 plate appearances, scoring 48 runs.
The 29-year-old Young became expendable when the Mets signed free-agent outfielder Michael Cuddyer to a $21 million, two-year contract last month.
New York tendered contracts to its six other players who are eligible for arbitration: first baseman Lucas Duda, second baseman Daniel Murphy, shortstop Ruben Tejada and pitchers Dillon Gee, Jenrry Mejia and Bobby Parnell.
Most surprising to me is how Goeddel both receives zero buzz, zero mention (like say Mazzoni) making the club yet has survived this long. I'm not judging the player just his circumstance.
is JAG. I thought Tovar made the most sense, but I guess they're waiting to see how SS shakes out.
If Tejada and Flores and Herrera are all on the 24-man roster Tovar has zero role.
They sort of "have to" keep Tovar for now. If an injury were to occur to one of Tejada/Flores then the next guy would be Reynolds and he doesn't need to be added yet. Right now Tovar is the "Quintanilla".
Gee said he wants to stay a Met, but added: "I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a little exciting to know that there are other teams that are asking about me. That's kind of the thing if you do get traded. Yeah, it's a little bittersweet because you're leaving the team and your friends, and really the Mets have been like a family to me. But the other, flip side is, hey, somebody wants you. Not to say the Mets don't. I have no hard feelings either way. Like I said, I understand what it is."
This weird unknown dark horse for me. Injuries the last two years have set him back and he's fallin behind Flores, Reynolds, and probably soon Cechinni. It's kind of his last chance this year but if he stays healthy, plays good defense, and hits a little he could get himself back in the mix. I just don't know where he is going to play. Got to figure Reynolds and Herrera are starting in AAA. Cechinni might be in AA soon.
Talent wise that lineup still isn't much better than the Mets, but I'd choose it pretty easily because it's much better balanced, their key players are younger, and they have a legit MVP candidate who will carry them for stretches by himself. Defensively better everywhere except CF/3B. I don't know much about their farm other than that they gave up some highly ranked guys, but they've definitely made some interesting improvements.
rotation could be quite good even before Fernandez returns. They have some really underrated arms in Eovaldi, Koehler and Alvarez + Cosart and Latos and a great bullpen. I still think the Nats are the team to beat but don't be shocked if the Marlins surprise.
Adam Rubin @AdamRubinESPN 1m1 minute ago
As of yesterday, they were considering. Interest sounds lukewarm. Price is Right strategy? RT @jamesesavengers: Are mets bidding for kang
Adam Rubin @AdamRubinESPN 3m3 minutes ago
For instance, Yamaico Navarro had 31 HRs for Samsung in Korea last season. Who? Exactly. He hit 12 homers in 390 ABs with AAA Norfok in '13.
Adam Rubin @AdamRubinESPN 9m9 minutes ago
Someone from Mets told me week ago you have to discount South Korean home run totals more than Pacific Coast League totals. That inflated.
seems like just another risk on a team full of risks. Every time I look at it this lineup feels more like 02.
Also doesn't have to be accepted until Friday and 30 days to negotiate so you could have 30-40 million (and the SS position) tied up for that long. Not that I expect the Mets to use it in other areas but another thing to remember.
All part of the plan to sell the team in a few years. Everyone but Marlins "fans" fall for it.
Jet have to be good enough and fun enough to be watchable. Will try to negotiate a TV deal. If it goes south, very easy team to blow up. But if it works Loria walks away with hundreds of millions of $ extra. All Samson plan.
The Mets asked the Red Sox about OF Yoenis Cespedes toward the end of last season, but they were told it would take Zack Wheeler or Jacob deGrom to get a deal done, according to a source (Lennon, Dec. 11).
The Red Sox eventually traded Cespedes and two prospects to the Tigers for RHP Rick Porcello, who like Cespedes can be a free agent after next season.
Porcello is a guy we had targeted earlier in the offseason, Sox GM Ben Cherington said after the deal was announced. Weve had a pretty strong combination of scouting and analytics work on him.
All part of the plan to sell the team in a few years. Everyone but Marlins "fans" fall for it.
Jet have to be good enough and fun enough to be watchable. Will try to negotiate a TV deal. If it goes south, very easy team to blow up. But if it works Loria walks away with hundreds of millions of $ extra. All Samson plan.
Totally agree. I think the $ the Dodgers kicked in was almost as big of a part of the Heaney trade as Gordon. I believe they paid the full salaries of all involved, even if Haren did retire. That move plus the Morse move were essentially free, and gave the perception that they are serious, for what was apparently a prospect with a lesser reputation among professional scouts than amateur. Win-win-win.
Looks like they won't be bringing in a guy like Cotts. I doubt Breslaw (despite his bad season) needs to accept a minor league deal so who knows? I guess they are hoping Eveland accepts a minor league deal.
Will be a pesky team but they don't look better than the Mets currently. With Fernandez out to mid-late summer their rotation is not of our caliber.
I think their lineup has a few young core players to build around and of course Stanton is awesome but half the lineup is filled of retreads. I know health is a major issue with our lineup but on paper we look much stronger.
"We've been looking at it. We've been talking to Alan Nero, who has represented Kang," Alderson said Tuesday, at a Mets holiday party for schoolchildren at Citi Field. "It's about the transition from the Korean league to Major League Baseball. It's about questions surrounding the player's ability to stay shortstop -- or possibly having to move elsewhere. Those are really the two major issues for us. I'm not saying we won't make a bid, but I'd say right now it's less likely."
Alderson said the Mets were not in on free-agent shortstop Jed Lowrie, who just signed with the Houston Astros. Still, Alderson portrayed the probability of Flores playing shortstop as strong.
"I don't think the Lowrie signing increases the probability, because we weren't really in on Lowrie," Alderson said. "To that extent the probability [of Flores as the Opening Day shortstop] remains about the same, but I think it's very high."
"We've been looking at it. We've been talking to Alan Nero, who has represented Kang," Alderson said Tuesday, at a Mets holiday party for schoolchildren at Citi Field. "It's about the transition from the Korean league to Major League Baseball. It's about questions surrounding the player's ability to stay shortstop -- or possibly having to move elsewhere. Those are really the two major issues for us. I'm not saying we won't make a bid, but I'd say right now it's less likely."
Alderson said the Mets were not in on free-agent shortstop Jed Lowrie, who just signed with the Houston Astros. Still, Alderson portrayed the probability of Flores playing shortstop as strong.
"I don't think the Lowrie signing increases the probability, because we weren't really in on Lowrie," Alderson said. "To that extent the probability [of Flores as the Opening Day shortstop] remains about the same, but I think it's very high."
Will be a pesky team but they don't look better than the Mets currently. With Fernandez out to mid-late summer their rotation is not of our caliber.
I think their lineup has a few young core players to build around and of course Stanton is awesome but half the lineup is filled of retreads. I know health is a major issue with our lineup but on paper we look much stronger.
2014 Marlins scored more runs than the Mets so why would "on paper" the Mets lineup look better? The Marlins added Morse and Gordon and the Mets added Cuddyer. If you want to point to guys like TDA the Marlins can point to Ozuna and Yelich. Two teams look very even to me on paper.
Slated to start in the Marlins rotation until Fernandez gets back?
Nope.
Eovaldi
Latos
Hernandez
Koehler
Cosart
All good young-youngish SP's and their pen is fantastic. cishek is crazy underrated.
Good "youngish" pitchers doesn't equate to Harvey, deGrom, Wheeler in my mind. That's cool if you like them more but in my opinion the mets look stronger and deeper until they get Fernandez back. As for the lineup, we've been through this, but I'm expecting additions of Wright, Cuddyer, and Flores replacing black holes so I see more offense added then just Cuddyer. Time will tell
Wow just seeing this now. Motte got "paid" all things considered. I doubt the Mets were even close to that number (I wouldn't be surprised if they offered a minor league deal).
why wouldn't Morse/Gordon represent replacing "black holes" for the Marlins? Their starting 2b was Donovan Solano and at 1b started Jones every day despite the fact he had a .539 OPS vs. lefties. Morse had an .827 OPS vs lefties this year and .821 career. You don't see how this picking and choosing comes off as "homerish"?
I think the Marlins will be slightly better than the Mets this year. They've made some solid moves.
We barely did anything. We're banking on Harvey being Harvey and everyone getting better. Risky strategy. I get that there weren't a ton of moves to be made, but.. it is what it is.
I think the Marlins will be slightly better than the Mets this year. They've made some solid moves.
We barely did anything. We're banking on Harvey being Harvey and everyone getting better. Risky strategy. I get that there weren't a ton of moves to be made, but.. it is what it is.
Don't know how it's possible to argue with this. Mets v. Marlins is a toss up to me, but all things mostly equal I'd take the team that has an impact player like Stanton. Could see it going either way though.
Mets add- Cuddyer, returning Matt Harvey, John Mayberry Jr.
Marlins add- Mat Latos, Dee Gordon, Mike Morse, MAYBE Dan Haren, Jose Fernandez at Mid-season or so
Marlins won 2 less games than the Mets. I don't think it's a stretch to say they are pretty equal teams with the Marlins possibly being a little bit better overall.
Special at all especially for a 1stbaseman. Not a huge Gordon fan either. Our core of Murphy, Wright, Duda, Cuddyer, Granderson is a little more established and we have young talent on the rise as well. There's nothing homerish about it. Most people are picking The Mets and Marlins to finish with mid-80 something wins. I just feel we are the better team until they get Fernandez back at this time. I can certainly acknowledge the Marlins are on the rise and I don't think that's outlandish.
Are completely off the wall. There isn't a single Mets fan alive that would look at deGrom's Steamer prediction and not completely laugh their ass off. Makes zero sense.
Special at all especially for a 1stbaseman. Not a huge Gordon fan either. Our core of Murphy, Wright, Duda, Cuddyer, Granderson is a little more established and we have young talent on the rise as well. There's nothing homerish about it. Most people are picking The Mets and Marlins to finish with mid-80 something wins. I just feel we are the better team until they get Fernandez back at this time. I can certainly acknowledge the Marlins are on the rise and I don't think that's outlandish.
Morse and Duda both are average at best defensively right?
Morse career .821 OPS vs. lefties, Jones career .811 vs. righties
Duda 2014 OPS (.830)
And "anything special"... Michael Cuddyer most certainly is NOT a special player in a CO spot. Morse and Cuddyer are basically a push. If the Mets signed Morse over Cuddyer I would have felt exactly as I feel now.
Jed Lowrie to the Astros for 3 years + option, per @brianmctaggart. So
If Tejada and Flores and Herrera are all on the 24-man roster Tovar has zero role.
If Tejada and Flores and Herrera are all on the 24-man roster Tovar has zero role.
They sort of "have to" keep Tovar for now. If an injury were to occur to one of Tejada/Flores then the next guy would be Reynolds and he doesn't need to be added yet. Right now Tovar is the "Quintanilla".
Read more: - ( New Window )
Mayberry performance bonus breakdown
Link - ( New Window )
#Marlins have 2-year deal with Michael Morse, per @JoeFrisaro, @flasportsbuzz, @Ken_Rosenthal, et al
Gordon - Yelich - Stanton - Morse - Ozuna - McGehee - Saltalamachia - Hechavaria
Talent wise that lineup still isn't much better than the Mets, but I'd choose it pretty easily because it's much better balanced, their key players are younger, and they have a legit MVP candidate who will carry them for stretches by himself. Defensively better everywhere except CF/3B. I don't know much about their farm other than that they gave up some highly ranked guys, but they've definitely made some interesting improvements.
As of yesterday, they were considering. Interest sounds lukewarm. Price is Right strategy? RT @jamesesavengers: Are mets bidding for kang
Someone from Mets told me week ago you have to discount South Korean home run totals more than Pacific Coast League totals. That inflated.
For instance, Yamaico Navarro had 31 HRs for Samsung in Korea last season. Who? Exactly. He hit 12 homers in 390 ABs with AAA Norfok in '13.
Adam Rubin @AdamRubinESPN 9m9 minutes ago
Someone from Mets told me week ago you have to discount South Korean home run totals more than Pacific Coast League totals. That inflated.
Also doesn't have to be accepted until Friday and 30 days to negotiate so you could have 30-40 million (and the SS position) tied up for that long. Not that I expect the Mets to use it in other areas but another thing to remember.
Jet have to be good enough and fun enough to be watchable. Will try to negotiate a TV deal. If it goes south, very easy team to blow up. But if it works Loria walks away with hundreds of millions of $ extra. All Samson plan.
The Red Sox eventually traded Cespedes and two prospects to the Tigers for RHP Rick Porcello, who like Cespedes can be a free agent after next season.
Porcello is a guy we had targeted earlier in the offseason, Sox GM Ben Cherington said after the deal was announced. Weve had a pretty strong combination of scouting and analytics work on him.
Jet have to be good enough and fun enough to be watchable. Will try to negotiate a TV deal. If it goes south, very easy team to blow up. But if it works Loria walks away with hundreds of millions of $ extra. All Samson plan.
Totally agree. I think the $ the Dodgers kicked in was almost as big of a part of the Heaney trade as Gordon. I believe they paid the full salaries of all involved, even if Haren did retire. That move plus the Morse move were essentially free, and gave the perception that they are serious, for what was apparently a prospect with a lesser reputation among professional scouts than amateur. Win-win-win.
(though they are still better for it this year)
Sandy Alderson says #Mets "unlikely" to make a bid on Kang.
Alderson also said "the market" will dictate which starting pitcher gets traded. Team has been unsuccessful in attempts to deal Gee.
OK Yankees wanted Brett Anderson, Niese for Jorge Mateo. Do it up!
I think their lineup has a few young core players to build around and of course Stanton is awesome but half the lineup is filled of retreads. I know health is a major issue with our lineup but on paper we look much stronger.
Sandy Alderson says there is a "very high" probability Wilmer Flores is the Opening Day shortstop.
Adam Rubin @AdamRubinESPN 18m18 minutes ago
Sandy Alderson says Mets will just bring in lefties on minor league deals to compete in bullpen.
Full comments from Sandy Alderson on Kang, Lowrie and Wilmer Flores:
Link - ( New Window )
Alderson said the Mets were not in on free-agent shortstop Jed Lowrie, who just signed with the Houston Astros. Still, Alderson portrayed the probability of Flores playing shortstop as strong.
"I don't think the Lowrie signing increases the probability, because we weren't really in on Lowrie," Alderson said. "To that extent the probability [of Flores as the Opening Day shortstop] remains about the same, but I think it's very high."
Alderson said the Mets were not in on free-agent shortstop Jed Lowrie, who just signed with the Houston Astros. Still, Alderson portrayed the probability of Flores playing shortstop as strong.
"I don't think the Lowrie signing increases the probability, because we weren't really in on Lowrie," Alderson said. "To that extent the probability [of Flores as the Opening Day shortstop] remains about the same, but I think it's very high."
Good! Lol
I think their lineup has a few young core players to build around and of course Stanton is awesome but half the lineup is filled of retreads. I know health is a major issue with our lineup but on paper we look much stronger.
2014 Marlins scored more runs than the Mets so why would "on paper" the Mets lineup look better? The Marlins added Morse and Gordon and the Mets added Cuddyer. If you want to point to guys like TDA the Marlins can point to Ozuna and Yelich. Two teams look very even to me on paper.
Nope.
Eovaldi
Latos
Hernandez
Koehler
Cosart
All good young-youngish SP's and their pen is fantastic. cishek is crazy underrated.
Wheeler 3.68
Niese 3.92
Colon 4.00
Harvey 3.10
deGrom 3.70
Marlins-
Hernandez 3.70 (identical to deGrom)
Eovaldi 3.88
Koehler 4.20
Cosart 4.10
Latos 3.92
and eventually Fernandez will return
Quote:
Slated to start in the Marlins rotation until Fernandez gets back?
Nope.
Eovaldi
Latos
Hernandez
Koehler
Cosart
All good young-youngish SP's and their pen is fantastic. cishek is crazy underrated.
Good "youngish" pitchers doesn't equate to Harvey, deGrom, Wheeler in my mind. That's cool if you like them more but in my opinion the mets look stronger and deeper until they get Fernandez back. As for the lineup, we've been through this, but I'm expecting additions of Wright, Cuddyer, and Flores replacing black holes so I see more offense added then just Cuddyer. Time will tell
We barely did anything. We're banking on Harvey being Harvey and everyone getting better. Risky strategy. I get that there weren't a ton of moves to be made, but.. it is what it is.
We barely did anything. We're banking on Harvey being Harvey and everyone getting better. Risky strategy. I get that there weren't a ton of moves to be made, but.. it is what it is.
Don't know how it's possible to argue with this. Mets v. Marlins is a toss up to me, but all things mostly equal I'd take the team that has an impact player like Stanton. Could see it going either way though.
Mets add- Cuddyer, returning Matt Harvey, John Mayberry Jr.
Marlins add- Mat Latos, Dee Gordon, Mike Morse, MAYBE Dan Haren, Jose Fernandez at Mid-season or so
Marlins won 2 less games than the Mets. I don't think it's a stretch to say they are pretty equal teams with the Marlins possibly being a little bit better overall.
Sandy Alderson now projecting January before a trade involving a starting pitcher.
Sandy Alderson now projecting January before a trade involving a starting pitcher.
Cool. Hoping to rip someone off is a strategy I guess. Intertia too.
Morse and Duda both are average at best defensively right?
Morse career .821 OPS vs. lefties, Jones career .811 vs. righties
Duda 2014 OPS (.830)
And "anything special"... Michael Cuddyer most certainly is NOT a special player in a CO spot. Morse and Cuddyer are basically a push. If the Mets signed Morse over Cuddyer I would have felt exactly as I feel now.