Mets Pitching Plans

I read rumors during the winter meetings that the Mets approached the Bluejays about AJ Burnett. If that was the case, Is there a way a deal could work for both clubs, in other words what would the jays get in exchange for Burnett?

Carlos Silva? I'm thrilled that Omar didn't jack up my ticket prices by another two bucks on that mediocrity. Why not just sign Josh Towers for peanuts???

http://www.lookoutlanding.com/story/2007/12/19/41228/178

bjaysfan, even though moving Burnett seems to make sense, considering the opt out clause after next season, but Ricciardi has already said that he's building his team around pitching. There was a whole article somewhere where he spoke about how because his team couldn't spend as much as the Yanks or Sox, they would just try to outpitch them. A rotation of Halladay, Burnett, McGowan, Marcum, Litsch/Chacin is a pretty damn good rotation, and with B.J. Ryan and Jeremy Accardo in the bullpen, I can understand the angle the Jays are taking. That being said, I think that if the Jays were to move Burnett, it'd likely cost one of Carlos Gomez or Fernando Martinez, as well as Kevin Mulvey and another piece, like Heilman or Church.

Agree to disagree, even with the arm issues, money issues, and pending free agency, I would much rather give up that package for Burnett, atleast he is ace potential. Blanton looks like he will be Steve Trachsel to me. I would rather just stick Heilman into the rotation over trading him as like 1/3 of a package for Blanton. As a Met fan though, and I am in the minority, but I am ready for the season to start. The Mets dont need an ace, it would be nice, but whatever. If Santana really wants to play for the Mets so bad (which I still havent heard from anywhere besides Metsblog), then he can wait a year and come. Otherwise let some other team make the mistake of gutting their farm.

Well, Seeing as how Blanton has made at least 32 starts for three straight seasons, I think its a legit argument. Burnett only did that once in the last three seasons. The Mets don't need more unreliable live arms, they need a dependable arm, and one they can lock up for at least a couple years now.

As it stands, if the Mets trade for Burnett, and he flops, they're stuck with him. If Duque, Pedro, and Perez walk, which is very possible, the Mets have a rotation of John Maine and a busted A.J. Burnett.

If Burnett has a great year, he walks and earns a ton, and its possible the Mets have only John Maine left.

I guess Meddler, but if you want a guy to eat some innings, go get Livan Hernandez. I would rather have Livan and get to keep Heilman and Gomez then trade those guys for Blanton who eats innings and does not do much else.

I didnt say anything about you comparing the Mets to the Yankees. I refferred to your blatant sarcasm about how the Mets dont spend money, thus wont be able to sign Kazmir. That was the post that made no sense, seeing as how the Mets have recently gave big contracts to Wagner, Pedro, and Beltran, and took on big contracts in Lo Duca, and Delgado. You remind me of one of the whiney babies who complain that the Mets havent acquired an "ace", like they can just go and pick one out of a tree. Also, you didnt say shyt about how you didnt think Kazmir wouldnt reach free agency. You said something about the Mets not willing to spend, so stop trying to backpedal. The Mets didnt waste Wright and Reyes in crappy deals, did they? You cant evaluate the Milledge deal yet, Milledge is not even an everyday player yet and hasnt proved that he can be an everyday guy yet. At this point Milledge might never even be as good as Church. I think he will be, but you dont know yet. Its a short term move.

"ie The Mets are not the Yankee's thus will not get Kazmir."

Umm, I dont know what that even means. I cant tell if you are being sarcastic or not, or if you are proving the point I tried to make about you. I brought up the Yankees because you remind me of one of the Mets fans who want to spend like the Yankees, yet complain how the Yankees spend. Your bad sarcastic jokes about how the Mets dont spend is very comkparable to some of the shyt being posted on Metsblog.

By the way, wrong topic champ.

I agree nrmax, I wouldn't do that trade for Blanton either. I was just stating how against it I'd be for Burnett. I think the Mets rotation has plenty of stuff. Pedro, Duque, Maine, and Perez are all fully capable of 8.00+ K/9 with reasonable command. Its durability and consistency I worry about with all four to varying degrees. Burnett would be a fifth, similar questionmark. Blanton would be the rock of the rotation if acquired. I don't think that durability is worth Heilman alone in in the short term, at least to the Mets. What's the point of protecting a bullpen without a legit 8th inning guy?

Amen baby.

I would love if the Mets could get Bush or Caps on the cheap. Wouldnt give up Gomez for one of them (as most of you probably have realized there are not many situations in which I would move Gomez), but I like both of those guys if they can be had on the cheap. Then again, I am good with the team they have now. Would just like to add a lefty masher to platoon with Church if it comes down to it.

The Mets don't have anyone that could impact the Brewers for 2008 except maybe Heilman, who would be a favorite to close if acquired.

I agree that Livan is a much better option than Blanton. I'm not in favor of trading for him, but if I were dealing Gomez, Mulvey, and Heilman for a pitcher and I had the choice of Blanton or Burnett, I'd take Blanton. I agree that its too much for either one, I was just making a point as to why that deal would be no good for Burnett in my eyes.

"I'm pretty sure Omar isn't going to pull off anything big this offseason. It's going to be a long season met fans."

I agree, finishing one game out of first on a fluke collapse, having no team in your division get better, and slightly improving RF and massively imrpoving C on a team that pretty much under produced all year. The Mets are shot they should just forfeit the season. See Devo, thats the kind of guy that I was talking about.

" Omar isnt going to do anything so I am going to feel bad for myself and post something along the lines of how the season is over already"

Thats true Meddler but with so many options you could save millions on the same type of pitchers by getting one from Japan then getting Livan who will go something like 8-15 with a 4.20 ERA with 200+ innings.

BTW.. Happy new years everyone.

Cubs in '08. The 100 year reunion. :-)

Well since it seems that no one is really mentioning the Johan portion of this rumor update, I guess I'll swing it back into action for a moment.

I think the Mets are silently, but frantically, working proposals for the Twins to review to try and land Santana with the Mets. It makes way too much sense for the Twins to send Johan to the NL, hence why the Mets are still highly in the mix. Deep down I think that the Twins would rather make a deal with the Mets over any of the other suitors. But enough of that pipe dream, because Omar will be too stubborn, or smart, if you're and advocate of not going after Santana for obvious reasons. I personally would like to see it happen. Moving along.

Someone FINALLY touched on an area that I have been pondering about for weeks, but have failed to see mention of it. The Brewers. As stated, they have a surplus of pitching, that can more than likely be traded for with lower level prospects than whats being asked for by the Twins and/or Orioles.

Personally, Chris Capuano is a guy that should be considered seriously if I'm Omar. He's been playing on team that up until recently has not given him run support. Prior to the '07 season, which has been his worst as a fulltime starter, he had recorded 176 and 174 strikeouts in 2005 and 2006 respectively. That puts him right up there with Oliver Perez, who had 174 strikeouts this past season, and John Maine who had 180.

Although, I'm not sure why he only had 25 starts this season. If it was because of injury thats something to be considered. However, he's only had two seasons with 200+ innings pitched. Prior to that in he was in the 80s or 90s. He shouldn't have a tired arm by any means, and he's got GOOD stuff.

The people rest in the case of Chris Capuano.

Happy New Year!

Wheather Its a good thing or not, Omar will probaly trade for Blanton or a different pitcher. He has already said he might have to trade there top prospects for a pitcher. And he proved it with the Lastings Milledge trade.

The Mets are a solid team, but to say that other teams in the division haven't improved means you haven't been paying attention. The Phillies have upgraded their pitching staff with the addition of Lidge. Now Meyers can move back to the rotation where he brings more value to the team. Also their acquisition of Jenkins was a shrewd way to deal with the loss(and a good one with the contract he go, good luck SF) of Rowand. Now Victorino(a very undervalued player) moves to Cf, and the platoon of Jenkins and Werth is better than anyone the Mets can throw out in Rf(E. Chavez is almost a non-factor offensively) when facing a Leftie.
The Mets needed to add an innings eater before the loss of Glavine, but now it is imperative for them to add one. If the Mets are banking on Pedro and El Duque being healthy and Maine and Perez figuring out how to go deep in games, without adding an innings eater to lighten up the workload on the bullpen, they are very foolish.
I believe they should sign L. Hernandez or J. Fogg instead of trading for J. Blanton. The Mets farm system isn't as bad as some might see it, but their prospects are a couple of years away from being mlb ready and they lack depth. The one prospect(if you want to call him a prospect still) is M. Pelfrey. I just think the Mets are using him wrong. If they would put him in the bullpen, he could become a set up man similar to J. Broxton.

"1. Burnett is always healthy, Blanton is a horse"

I won't bother commenting on that, it speaks for itself.

In any case, Burnett is easily the better pitcher. His stuff is sick while Blanton's is mediocre. Last season, Blanton pitched 230 innings with a 3.95 ERA and 1.217 WHIP, which is a very very good season. But in 230 innings, he had 140 strikeouts. In 165 innings last year, Burnett had a 3.75 ERA with a 1.189 WHIP and 176 SO. Burnett made 25 starts last year and logged 165.7 innings, that is roughly 6.6 innings per game, which is not bad at all. Blanton threw 230 innings in 34 starts, which is roughly 6.8 innings per game. Each rounded up is 7 innings per game. Burnett does have a walk problem, but he has the strikeouts to make up fit in my mind. He's the kind of guy that will walk the bottom of the order and load the bases and then strike out the side with the top of the order. All in all, I don't think the Mets should either of them, both are too risky. I say Blanton is risky because his 2006 season looks a lot like Steve Tracshels, that is scary.

LISTEN GUYS ISNT EVERYONE TIRED OF TALKING ABOUT WHO OMAR IS TRYING TO GET REALISTICALLY THE METS WILL HAVE TO GIVE UP THERE WHOLE SYSTEM TO GET MR SANTANA THEN PAY HIM 6YRS AND A 120 MIL TO SIGN HIM CMON GUYS THATS ASKING TOO MUCH I WANT JOHAN BUT THIS IS KILLING ME BSOX21 SIGN LIVAN (HE WILL BE GOOD FOR US ) OR SOME ONE LIKE THAT AND LETS GO TO WAR WITH THAT ... GET ONE OR 2 BULL PEN GUYS AND WE WILL BE ALL RIGHT

HAPPY NEW YEAR

LETS GO METS

CAME ON OMAR LETS GO MAN ITS A NEW YEAR !!!!!!

I wouldn't necessarily say Glavine solidifies the Braves rotation any. Jair Jurrijens is going to be great I think. And whoever said Endy Chavez for Chris Capuano is a good deal is wrong. The Brewers already turned down Scott Rolen for Capuano why would they want a 4th OF? The Brewers either need Braun to get a glove at 3B or go out and trade a SP for one. I was suprised the Brewers weren't more interested in Miguel Cabrera. Think of facing Prince Fielder and Miguel Cabrera back to back and then Ryan Braun! That could just be the best offense.

I meant to type Burnett is not always healthy.

ok ill give you the pitching up grades braves and philly but u cant tell me the braves are better than the mets maybe the phillies not the braves they lost to many things they traded there shortstop fir a good young unknown pitcher i like that tho. the sign glavine minimal upgrade at best and they got tex for a whole yr( the best thing going for them right now) dont for get they also lost 2 bullpen guys dotel and mayhey that they got last yr gonzalez is coming off arm surgery and hampton u cant even count on him .the only 2 givins in the pitching staff right now is smoltz and hudson yet again .

the mets bullpen is still better than the braves whos better than wagner in the braves bullpen heilman ? dont come with me wit soriano neither he fell off second half of the season .....

"Pedro, Ollie, Maine, Duque, Livan, Pelfrey, Humber, ??????, ??????

That's a damn good rotation."

Wrong. It has the potential to be a decent rotation. Pedro is pretty much broken down, given he still deals when he's healthy, but he doesn't scare anyone anymore.

Oliver Perez can only pitch well against the Braves. Other than that, he's nothing special...just alot of unreached potential.

You never know what your getting with Duque anymore. And the only thing you can expect from Livan is that he'll throw 200 innings and eat alot of hamburgers. I'm not sure what kind of upside he brings either.

Pelfrey was horrendous last year, and Humber is still unproven.

Maine is ok, and I root for him, but isn't spectacular (yet) either.

Maybe I'm missing something here, but that's how I'm seeing it.

Well, when one tweak in your arm can ruin a teams season, you should have a higher risk factor. Its just how it is. I am not sure that there are really any pitchers that are solid bets. The stud young arms, those cost the most in terms of prospects, like the Haren trade, so you are gambling lots of youth on them. The slightly older pitchers who are studs and reach free agency will command lots of money and years, which is risky in itself. If you are young an unproven, then you arent a solid bet because you arent a known quantity. So to answer your question, no, I dont think there really is a such thing as a sure thing pitcher. If Santana signed as a free agent for a cheap contract, thats pretty much a sure thing, but when getting a big time pitcher it will always cost u something, so it is never a sure bet. The only way you can have a solid bet at pitcher imo is to draft and develop a guy into your own system that eventually finds major league success, because you can control the guy cheaply. Otherwise pitching is incredibly hard to find without paying a hefty price somewhere.

As for the Mets, I look at it as they have 4 pretty solid number 3 guys in El Duque, Pedro, Maine, and Ollie. All 4 have the potential to put up even better years then that. The Mets dont have an ace, but a bunch of solid arms and a good offense and defense. I would find one more arm for the pen, maybe 2, a lefty masher to platoon with church (Mench, Sosa?), and bring in one more starting pitcher, like a Livan or Colon. Then I go to war.