The Mets should push hard for a reliever — but not just for this year.
The Mets, even after their 9-5 victory yesterday over the Nationals, have about a 20-percent possibility to reach the one-game wild-card playoff. So even if they defy the odds, the Mets’ postseason could last one game. When those are the chances and the team is still essentially in a rebuild, then general manager Sandy Alderson is right, you don’t give up important future pieces.
For those saying “do something,” what exactly does that mean? No team’s motto is “Let’s Help the Mets.” In fact, other clubs see the bullpen deficiency, sense desperation. Thus, the prices for even “do anything” relievers are high and likely will stay that way until nearer the July 31 deadline.
Besides, Alderson does not have a “do anything” roster. Even with a relief addition such as Francisco Rodriguez or Brett Myers, the Mets would still possess too little power, speed, ability to counteract lefty pitching, defensive acuity and rotation depth.
Does that mean don’t try? Of course not. It just means be realistic. Despite all the names heard annually, there were just 31 trades made last year between June 1-July 31. Most were of the Juan Rivera for cash variety. Maybe one-third involved someone approaching star level or better. Trades are tough to make, everyone is looking to fleece one another.
So what should the Mets do? I think they must hunt relievers controllable beyond this season. Because the 2013 pen does not project as markedly better than 2012, unless you see big things next year from a core of Frank Francisco, Bobby Parnell, Josh Edgin and, perhaps, Jenrry Mejia. The Mets need to deepen that group. But how?
They have duplicity with, say, a lefty-hitting second baseman. But the industry knows the Mets have had multiple disciplinary problems with Jordany Valdespin and that arbitration eligible Daniel Murphy is about to get expensive for a defensively deficient player without power. With Matt Den Dekker coming, the Mets should definitely make available fellow lefty-hitting outfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis (viewed as a fourth outfielder in the industry) and maybe even Lucas Duda. Duda’s real position, first base, is blocked by Ike Davis.
Double-A shortstop Wilfredo Tovar is described as a Ruben Tejada clone. Colin McHugh and Cory Mazzoni are secondary starter candidates behind Zack Wheeler, Matt Harvey and Jeurys Familia.
Can the Mets find a long-term power arm offering their surplus at a time when other clubs are hesitant to move cost-efficient fireballers?
“Acquiring a controllable guy would certainly be our preference,” a Mets official said. “The problem is those guys are so scarce, and the cost, at least at this point, is prohibitive. We agree — the need for 2013 will be there — but that need may be easier to service this winter than now.”
Which is why the Mets are shopping in the K-Rod/Myers bin because the prices for expensive, looming free agents may fall in the next 11 days. Still, for example, the Rays have always liked Duda and have interesting young arms.
The Mets are linked with Kansas City’s Jonathan Broxton. But Broxton is a free agent after this season and — for what it is worth — Dodger people did not see him as someone who had the stomach for New York. The Royals view Kelvin Herrera as their future closer, but also have depth in righty power arms far from free agency in Louis Coleman, Aaron Crow and Greg Holland. So do the Mariners (Steve Delabar, Charlie Furbush, Tom Wilhelmsen), who always need offensive help.
In other words, the Mets need to keep shopping for ways to solve their biggest problem — and not just in 2012.
Pen help from inside Familia
In order to address their relief shortcoming, the Mets have rushed Elvin Ramirez and Josh Edgin. They have auditioned Jenrry Mejia as a reliever in the minors just a year removed from Tommy John surgery.
But I have been wondering why they do not try to use one of their top prospects, Jeurys Familia, in the pen. He has shown durability as a minor league starter for four straight seasons now. He could break in and get major league experience via the pen. And the Mets privately believe what most of the industry does — Familia’s long-term future might be as a reliever, mainly because pitchers with high-end stuff, but difficulty repeating their delivery generally land in the pen.
The Mets, a team official told me, were considering Familia for big-league relief before Familia lost his delivery in the first half. It has been much better his last three outings and, the official said, “Given the recent resurgence, I think we’d be reluctant to take him out of his element, as he’s never relieved before, but it may be an option for later in the year.”
Phil-in’ Cole’s pockets
The chance Cole Hamels gets on the market is fading.
As I have reported, the Phillies were intensifying their efforts to retain the homegrown lefty. Two executives said they believed the Phillies would go at least six years at $130 million.
And one of those executives said: “To me, the only reason he would turn that down is that he really wants to go home to the Dodgers (Hamels is from Southern California) or the union is pressuring him to get out into free agency and move the market.
“But my sense is he is comfortable in Philly, they have made the playoffs five years in a row and the $130 million says they value him, so it is going to take a heck of a reason to say no to that.”
* The Padres have been expected to make Huston Street available.
But I hear Street likes San Diego and the team likes the closer enough that it will try in the next few days to see if an extension can be worked out.
If that fails, the Padres will make him available in the last few days before the deadline.
However, multiple officials think the Padres have enough teams bidding aggressively that they will move third baseman Chase Headley.
There is big interest from teams such as the Dodgers and Orioles because Headley is 28, can’t be a free agent until after the 2015 season and there is belief he will flourish outside of vast Petco Park. Since 2008, when he became a full-time player, Headley’s road line of .301 average/.367 on-base percentage/.451 slugging percentage compares well to a more famous Chase, Philadelphia’s Utley: .270/.373/.452.