8:56pm: The Mets aren’t giving off indications that they have serious interest in Gomez, Marc Carig of Newsday tweets. Though GM Sandy Alderson has “left [the] door open,” says Carig, his comments “sounded like diplomacy” rather than the prelude to a move on the veteran outfielder.
12:40pm: ESPN’s Mark Saxon tweets that the Cardinals are indeed looking into Gomez, and his ability to play center field is a big draw for them. However, he notes that St. Louis could be outbid by the Mets. Saxon adds in a second tweet that Gomez is expected to be traded rather than waived and released. Shortly after Gomez’s DFA earlier this week, the Mets were said to be “open” to reacquiring him. Gomez came up through the Mets’ farm system and was lauded as one of the game’s top prospects before he was traded to the Twins as part of the Johan Santana package.
11:00am: The Cardinals will explore the possibility of adding recently designated center fielder Carlos Gomez, per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (on Twitter). According to Goold, they’ll try to ascertain the reasons for his sudden decline and determine whether they believe he can rediscover his form and help the 2016 club. Adding onto that, Goold said in an appearance on the Ryan Kelley Morning Show on 105.7 FM / 920 AM in St. Louis that the Cards have “legitimate curiosity” in Gomez and were intrigued by him even before last night, when left fielder Matt Holliday suffered a fractured thumb that could cost him much of the remaining season.
Gomez was a big-name addition for the Astros last July, when Houston parted with four prospects to pry Gomez and right-hander Mike Fiers away from the Brewers. However, there were some medical concerns about Gomez at the time — a trade to the Mets was reportedly nixed in part due to concerns surrounding Gomez’s hip — and he performed dreadfully in the calendar year for which he donned an Astros uniform. The 30-year-old batted just .221/.277/.342 in 126 games for the Astros — a far cry from the terrific .278/.342/.475 batting line he compiled from Opening Day 2013 until the time of said trade. Gomez remains a base-stealing threat, but even defensive metrics have soured on his once-elite skill set in center field. Of course, he missed time in 2015 with a hamstring injury, played through alleged hip issues last season and spent more than a month on the DL in 2016 after injuring his rib cage while laying out to make a diving catch. Any and all of those issues could contribute to a decline in his defensive prowess in the outfield.
For the Cardinals, center field has been a revolving door for quite some time. Last year saw Jon Jay and Peter Bourjos deliver underwhelming performances before Randal Grichuk looked to seize the job, but Grichuk has taken a significant step back in 2016 and has been optioned to the minors on multiple occasions (though he’s back in the Majors now). Beyond Grichuk, the Cards have trotted out Tommy Pham, Jeremy Hazelbaker and even displaced second baseman Kolten Wong as they look to find a dependable everyday solution.
While Gomez is far from a certainty to fill that need, he could add an option with significant upside if he is ultimately released. That fate could very well be his outcome, as Gomez is owed $2.51MM through season’s end, and any claiming team would be on the hook for that sum. (And, while a trade is certainly another possibility, one can imagine that the recent data breach issues between the two teams in question here might create a reluctance to enter into such negotiations.)
Let’s make it happen
I don’t think Gomez would be a bad gamble for the Cards. it all depends on what it would take to get him. If the risk is minimal at best, scoop him up and see if he can bring back some his 2013-mid 2015 magic.
The station should say 105.7 HD-2, 920 AM, and InsideSTL.com #FreeDotem
I’m sure they already know all about him from the Astros database.
+10
Haha. Someone finally nails it with one of the hacking jokes!
Usually they’re not funny, but this one was good!
1
.. 1
(This isn’t going well)… Great comment
That was one person not the whole organization and Carlos Gomez wasn’t with them when that happened
Cause you know for certain nobody else knew about it even though he stated in court others in the organization were aware he hacked the Astros
I’m a Cards fan and it was still funny, even if in jest
And the joke goes riiiiiiight over his head
You WIN!
And this is a time that I wish we could still give a thumbs up because that comment deserves one. I miss Disqus.
Heehee
ZING
Don’t know if he’d be a significant improvement in a down year for him
Come to the Red Sox!
I have been saying that since last year. He’d be perfect in the environment with Ortiz and Hanley. He’d feel at home. I also like Melky! Now, the biggest issue right now for the Sawx are Bullpen and David Price.
They won’t get him
Makes more sense with the Cards. You know, cause they have no morals.
And how does any of that have to do with Carlos Gomez?
Because what’s a Cardinals thread without showing your jealousy for the organization?
As a Reds fan I couldn’t stand this guy at first with the Brewers with some of his antics. After awhile though, I saw how much he enjoyed playing the game and I came to respect him (not that he cares what I think). I think he’s just a passionate dude. I hope he figures it out again, even if it is with the Cardinals.
I’m a big fan of players whoplay with flare. The Reds got BP, no one with more swag than him in recent memory.
As an Astros fan, I am surprised there is so much interest in him. He’s not that good defensively and he’s a complete liability in the batters box. If the Astros can get anything for Gomez and not have to pay the remaining $2MM+ his contract I would be shocked.
He was a great player just a year ago with the Brewers, if nothing else, his fast enough to be a 4th outfielder. He has value
By all means, pay the guy $2MM for the rest of the season to be the bench player that late in games you depend on to steal bases and play defense.. I seriously doubt Gomez will figure it out between now and the end of the season at the plate. I think I saw his UZR was -6 as a CF, I can think of two games in which Gomez lost the game single handedly. Once in Boston and once this past week against Minnesota. This is not including his performance in the batters box.
He’s had one Error all year how isn’t that good. Yes he’s not as good as he once was when he was younger but he is still an above average defender
Errors? He’s an outfielder for one, two that doesn’t measure defensive value at all.
This is the first year that Gomez has registered negative defensive values.
I couldn’t tell you why though.
I’ve only watched 80% of Astros games this year. At this point the Astros probably decided if Gomez can’t bat or play the field, then just play Marisnick, who is only good on defense.
We in Houston are glad to rid ourselves of one of the statistically worst MLB players in 2016, how’s that? Not one person regrets getting rid of this guy who just can’t hit and makes bonehead plays. I am not interested in why this has happened to him, just want him off the 25 man roster.
So much hostility. Did he sleep with your mom??
But he was really good for a while there right? What happened to him?
These teams know they are trading for the 8/12/16 Carlos Gomez not the 8/12/14 Carlos Gomez, right? More strikeouts, ground balls and less contact. He is either hurt, done or other…, either way he isn’t correcting it in 1.5 months w/ a new organization. Any team that trades for him should expect a disaster/negative value and then they won’t be disappointed.
You’d be surprised what a new beggining can do for a player of his stature, who hustles so much. He’d be perfect with a guy who he can identify with. Ortiz with the Sawx would do it I think.
He’ll have too adjust his attitude to play for the Cardinals.
Yeah stealing bases isn’t enough. They need to bring in a felon.
So, for the record…does he not have to pass through waivers now since he was DFA’d? And can get traded anywhere? Or does he still have to pass through waivers before any trade can be finalized? I was thinking he’d have to pass through waivers first since it’s August
Since he is DFA’d then technically he is already going through waivers. I seriously doubt anyone is going to straight up claim him and his salary unless they want to trade for him because that would be a very risky claim. The Astros would just let him go and be off the hook for his entire salary..
Just a guess; but I would think he passed through revocable waivers already. If I were looking to clear someone out, it would be the first step in August. If anything to gauge interest
I’d rather the Cards forget Gomez and call up Harrison Bader and move Piscotty to CF.
Bader is not ready for the majors. Even if Gomez is terrible (I’m in agreement he probably is) it’s not worth compromising the development of a promising young player.
And that’s not even mentioning Piscotty is pretty terrible in CF.
If they are going to keep it in house, then David Washington is the guy to call up
He needs to come to the mets
He would be an upgrade to De Aza lol
If he gets back in the NL and gets back to his old self, he would be an upgrade over everyone in that OF not named Cespedes, and maybe Bruce.
de Aza was a horrible signing by the Mets. He should have been cut months ago.
As for Gomez…sure, at league minimum or MAYBE half of what he has left. That means loosing the pursue strings for a few hundred grand more, and that isn’t likely with their ownership….
Sandy don’t even think about it. He’s shot. Consider yourself lucky you missed out on this over the hill has been. Why does everyone think athletes over 30 without PED’s are going to rediscover the Fountain Of Youth. Branch Rickey once said its better to trade a player a year too soon than a year too late. When they hit 30 they were gone. Then came PED’s and guys like Roger Clemens on the way out rediscovered the fastball he had when he was 25. What’s not to understand as when it goes it’s gone forever. Do you guys really think he wasn’t trying with the Astro’s when he’s now a free agent. Do you think Tim Lincicum will ever rediscover his fastball? Stop living in the past. Gomez is just a shell of what he was a few years ago.
Gomez will not only be a upgrade defensively, he will bring speed and a right-handed bat to the equation. If need be, he can platoon with Granderson and act as a defensive replacement. Gomez and Reyes will tranform the top of the lineup into speedy table setters. Sandy Alderson should go get him.
If the Cards are going to keep telling Grichuk he’s not good enough, just let him go. I think he’d make a good left fielder for the Angels. And playing next to Trout just might be good for him. R.G. Just needs someone to believe in him. He’s got such great talent and potential. He needs the right hitting coach. The Halos should look into re-aqquiring him.