Quick note on the developing Gary Matthews Jr. trade: If you remember the magical start to the 2002 season, Sarge Jr was wearing No. 25 for all of one turn at bat and one pinch-running appearance before being traded to the Orioles. No. 25 subsequently went to Scott Strickland when he was acquired days later.
Today, 25 belongs to Pedro Feliciano, and so unless Pedro cares to make a mind-boggling fourth uni-switch in his Mets career, matthews can find something else to wear. He was 24 in his ill-fated adventure with the Angels.
I’m not ready to say this move (reportedly for reliever Brian Stokes with the Angels paying all but$4 million $2 million remaining on Matthews’s contract) completely spoils the “No Stupid Moves” theme for this offseason but it’s not terribly great either. I am thankful they dodged the Bengie Molina bullet, and still think they’ll look for a pitcher via the trade market especially after letting Joel Piniero go. F all once and future Cardinals.
As for Stokes, he did a pretty nice job amid meager expectations, but I think it’s good practice in general to shuffle these middle-reliever and bench types in and out with some degree of frequency.
Submitted by [bb] (not verified) on Fri, 01/22/2010 – 5:06pm.
The Angels are sending $21.5M in the deal, so the Mets are on the hook for only $2M, or just $1M per season.
Thanks
Submitted by Jon Springer on Fri, 01/22/2010 – 8:38pm.
That’s what I get for being one of those dorky Internet bloggy types updating based on what some other yahoo is tweeting.
$2 mills for the guy is a much better deal, pretty much all upside … if he has any.
I’m thinking #21 if carlos
Submitted by Keith (not verified) on Fri, 01/22/2010 – 9:06pm.
I’m thinking #21 if carlos delgado is not back.
I’m thinking #21 if carlos
Submitted by Keith (not verified) on Fri, 01/22/2010 – 9:06pm.
I’m thinking #21 if carlos delgado is not back.
23
Submitted by gored82 on Fri, 01/22/2010 – 10:46pm.
Or maybe 23 with Schneider gone…
is the plan to build the most uninspiring bench ever?
Submitted by 9th string catcher (not verified) on Sat, 01/23/2010 – 8:12am.
I really don’t get this one. Did we suddenly not need all the pitching we could get? Last time I checked Pelfrey was our number 2 starter, which generally indicates a need for a million innings of middle relief. Now we get a clubhouse cancer (so I’ve heard) who can’t hit and will fight Pagan for innings.
Matthews
Submitted by gored82 on Sat, 01/23/2010 – 2:13pm.
I wouldn’t read that much into it…I’m sure this won’t be the last move before spring training…
Churn Those Benchjockeys
Submitted by Jon Springer on Sat, 01/23/2010 – 8:22pm.
The salary the Mets are on the hook for with Matthews is less than Alex F. Cora will be making, they’ve certainly whacked guys owed that much before, so if it turns out he’s the complete disaster some fear he’ll be, they could always release him. And I like that Matthews will be under some real or imagined pressure to win an assignment over Pagan, and stay in the mix if/when Beltran returns.
As I said above with Stokes, I generally prefer churning the bench and the middle relievers year after year, finding guys as they meet success in those roles, not after. Sometimes it works out (Endy Chavez, Desi Relaford) sometimes it doesn’t (Jeremy Reed) but at least it keeps you from hoping for unlikely successes to continue repeating themselves or at least not regress, it just seems a lot to ask of a role player.
Matthews (like Cora, grrr) is a little older than I’d like my reserves to be but I think he’s got a chance to be OK.
Maybe 36… it’s available
Submitted by Ranjrz5 on Sat, 01/23/2010 – 9:40pm.
Maybe 36… it’s available and it was usually his father’s number.