The Mets are interested in right-handed relievers Jonathan Broxton and Grant Balfour, but they aren't close on any deals, according to reports yesterday. Here are the latest Mets-related rumors, as GM Sandy Alderson considers ways of adding to his bullpen:
- Andy Martino of the New York Daily News hears that Brewers president of baseball operations Doug Melvin told Alderson that Milwaukee isn’t selling yet (Twitter link). Martino suggests Francisco Rodriguez — the former Mets closer who continues to intrigue the team — would already be on the Mets if the Brewers had a worse record.
- The Mets haven’t been very aggressive in pursuing Brett Myers, Andy McCullough of the Star-Ledger reports (on Twitter). The trade candidate has 19 saves and a 3.52 ERA with 5.9 K/9 and 1.8 BB/9 in 30 2/3 innings with the Astros this year.
- Assistant GM John Ricco told Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com that the team won't overpay for help.
Mets would take back K-Rod in a heartbeat…he did an outstanding job for them during his tenure. His off the field issues aside, he was one of the best closers the Mets have ever had. Unless he’s injured, he should be able to return to form and might benefit from a return to primary closer. I also believe he thrives on living and working in a large market. I can’t imagine how his Lambo went over in Milwaukee…
The Brewers have more loses due to their bullpen than the Mets do this season. The Brewers could be seen as having the worst bullpen in baseball in 2012. The Mets definitely have the highest ERA though at 5.00. The Mets need another arm, but I would pass on Krod. Originally, I thought a reunion was a good idea. And maybe it still is because he has NY experience and can succeed here, but Street is just too good of an option for him not to be the #1 target here if the Mets are serious.
While Street is the better option, he’s more costly, in terms of what the Mets will have to give up. Alderson has said that he will not give important pieces nor pay a big contract. To this point, the Mets have played beyond what was expected, so they will invest to try and compete for the WC, but they won’t blow up the plans for the future to do it.
The only reason K-Rod was let go last season was so that the option wouldn’t vest on them (K-Rod was on pace to have 55 games finished which would have vested his option for this season) while their financial situation was still precarious.
overpaying is what you do midseason…what he should say is we won’t over-overpay.
Why, in your opinion, is he struggling?
With the Mets, he featured a surprising number of breaking pitches and a plus fastball. He had the ability to freeze up hitters by changing speeds, locations, etc., or simply blowing them away with the FB.
Is he still throwing the nasty breaking pitches, or is he trying to rely too much on the fastball? Do you think he might have an injury, or is his breakdown mechanical?
Curious as he pitched well down the stretch after leaving for MIL.
That’s what we were saying last year when you guys took him
Have you seen the Mets bullpen recently?
He’d be an improvement this year, however; of late, the bullpen has been like, well, a bull-pen.
K-Rod should never pitch 4 days in a row. K-Rod is not, and never should be, used as a work horse out of the pen.
He is a closer to be used to end games and occasionally fill innings in a tied game. He should never go through a lineup more than once or pitch more than 3 days in a row.
At this pace, Ron Roenicke is driving him towards an injury like the A’s did with Billy Koch in his walk year.