Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports is reporting that free agent catcher Bengie Molina is backing away from his desired three-year contract and is now willing to sign a deal for only the next two seasons. We learned two weeks ago from ESPN's Jerry Crasnick that Molina was considering lowering his demands, perhaps to reach a compromise with the Mets' offer of a one-year contract with an option (though Matthew Cerrone of MetsBlog.com thought the Mets would be willing to offer Molina the full two years.)
A source told ESPN The Magazine's Tim Kurkjian (as reported on ESPN's Insider Rumors page) that a deal could be finalized between the team and the veteran catcher within "the next 48 to 72 hours," which makes sense if Molina and the Mets have met each other halfway on the contract's length.
hes onlly been linked to the mets. why cant they just sign him already. Go braves!
he would help their rotation and add pop to the catching position which they haven’t had since Piazza
Finally what we knew was going to happen before the offseason even started, now the Mets needs to get a pitcher to throw him the ball
1 year or no years. Take it or leave it Sluglina. STAND PAT OMAR!!!!
In other news, I am also willing to sign a 2-year deal.
He’s willing? Really? Bengie should be thankful the Mets are STUPID enough to bet against themselves AGAIN.
He still is reportedly unwilling to stop ordering page 3 from the restaurant menu.
take your time and see if you can get him to go 1 and an option … this team is 2 players away from being a contender again… molina and a pitcher
And a #2 pitcher. I’d like to see how that’s going to happen, but maybe the Reds hold some clues.
Let us really think here. His OBP is worse than Jeff Francoeur. His age, therefore his durability are both bad factors. Why didn’t they go for Barajas, who was cheaper for one year with more power. Thole could be ready by late 10 to mid 11.
Also can someone explain the reasoning behind Santos, Thole, Coste, Blanco and now Molina as your catching depth?
I kinda agree with you. I’m think in the Mets’ perspective, Molina has proven over the years to be better than Barajas even though Barajas had a break ’09 season. Let’s just be honest, you are right about Molina’s OBP and his speed and Age…But the catching market is very weak as you probably know. Maybe Molina is a bridge for a future Victor Martinez signing next year. But for what it’s worth, Molina will just have to do. I think he is better than any Mets catcher though and I think that he will do better than Rod Barajas.
adding molina goes beyond stats.. its how he is going to manage a pitching staff that is begging for some identity from 2-5
Barajas has a worst OBP and I think a little less power…
Thole will be in AAA all season with Coste serving as his mentor in AAA. Molina will start with Blanco being the backup. Santos will likely be packaged in a trade for somebody at some point,……who that somebody is I have no idea, but I got a feeling that Santos is not long for this team.
I hope that they can afford some pitching as well. Their rotation will not be any better with the addition of Molina behind the plate
mets have 26 mill left to spend this off season n there looking to trade also. they still have options left to make as far as pitching.
really? it wont be better with an experienced veteran catcher that caught the back to back reining cy young winner? he has managed a matt cain and a jonathan sanchez with the giants..who says he cant do the same with mike pelfrey and oliver perez?
I have money that says not even Dave Duncan could fix Oliver Perez.
Rick Peterson could fix him in 10 minutes…oh wait, n/m that was somebody else I am thinking of
que the chorus of whiney Met “fans” who think they know everything slinging negitive hyperbole about anyone who’s name isn’t Puljos, Mauer, ect. As well as fans of other teams who are pretending this last season sums up the franchise completely.
But the New York Met franchise has been summed up with ’69 ’86 and Heart Break
as cute as your comment is, it sums up everything I hate about my fellow fans. If winning is all that matters go root for the Yankees.
What else should matter, besides winning?
The love of the game mabey, pulling for a team you’re loyal to perhaps, enjoying watching regardless; is that too much of a stretch?
so it doesnt matter that the mets choked the last 2 years and fell out of contention in june (granted because of injuries) and they shouldnt try to get better because as long as they have heart, winning doesnt matter?
I fail to fallow your logic. If you fallowed this rather pointless thread, you notice that I said “all” that matters. Of course you want your team to win, but at what cost? spending obscene amounts of money? hogging all the hot ticket free agents? throwing players under the bus when they underperform, having a bunch of revolving door positions. This off season all you hear is know-it-alls complaining about everything the Mets do or don’t do as if anything would satisfy them except a world series ring. This is all a matter of opinion and people have a right to it as I do mine, But when the Mets get better it’s going to be because Omar used his brain and not the Wilpons piggy bank
Ha ha ha…I’d take him back to the Giants for one year, if he doesn’t whine about platooning and would help along Posey. Why doesn’t he go to the AL and DH if he wants two years?
Do you really thing Thole is the catcher of the future? I mean I hope he is because like everyone always says we haven’t had a solid catcher since Piazza (Paul LoDuca was good but not great.) I just hope that Molina can be a mentor to Thole because in his short call up last season he showed that he can hit for average, not power, and also hes prone to the past ball. So hopefully if they do sign Molina he can teach Thole to be better defensively and handle a pitching staff because Molina does a great job doing that.
Thole showed he can hit…singles. It gets out of the infield but not very far, better than Castillo actually. His defense isn’t very good: Dropping balls that are pitched to you is NOT good. I would love to think a Met prospect is part of the Met future.
If Molina would take a one year deal I think he could maximize his payout in 2010. Teams just don’t want to commit to a 35YR old catcher. He is at that age where teams will only carry him on 1 year deals through the remainder of his career if they are smart.
Pudge and Kendall both got 2 year deals.. Both older and not as good hitters
Pudge and Kendall both got 2 year deals.. Both older and not as good hitters
Just because Kendall and Rodriguez were given 2 year deals doesn’t make them good deals. Remember the teams who handed them out are the Royals and Nationals. Think about it.
Molina can’t be any worse than Cesar Izturis, Nomar and Teixeira, all of whom my baseball video game decides to put as Mets catcher. Sometimes Abreu fills in for Nomar in the late innings. I know this is an aside but I feel like sometimes the only thing they got right for the Mets in this game was the idiotic management.
Why don’t the giants want him anymore…? I’ll take him for 2/12m…wouldn’t you???
At this points, I’d take less offense contributions from posey and/or a veteran catcher who’s cheap than Molina. If the Giants did sign him again, he’d be the cleanup hitter, and nobody wants that.
I wish he would just retire.
Mets fans should just be happy to have a catcher that does something, anything. Now we are going to have two. Molina may not take a walk but he does hit for good power, excellent power for a catcher and Blanco is top tier defensively (He has also hit over .310 against lefties 4 of the last 5 seasons and Molina is a career .270 hitter against righties)
“We haven’t had a solid catcher since Piazza”
This is the Met’s fans problem. Not everything is based off how many HR”s you hit especially when talking about catchers.
“We haven’t had a solid catcher since Piazza” “Maybe we can get V. Mart”
This is the Mets and it’s fans problem. Not everything is about how many HR’s you can hit especially when it comes to catchers.
Determining how well a catcher ‘calls a game’ is pretty much impossible for your average fan. HR’s, SB’s, clutch RBI Doubles, these are tangible things that average fans base their opinions on. Plus, I think people can get a little too cute with all the WAR’s and UZR’s and etc.
While I agree w/ you in reference to WAR’s and UZR’s can be overused and taken w/ more than a grain of salt which is not always correct in all cases however you can tell w/ the human eye when a catcher is run rampant on and also can call a game better.
While I agree w/ you on most positions, catcher is the main position where offensive numbers should not be the main quality you want in that position. Yadier Molina is horrible on the base paths and is a DP machine however it’s pretty easy to see his worth from the defensive side and I think the Cardinals give Duncan a little too much credit when it comes to pitching and not enough to the catchers they’ve had over the past decade (Mattheny and Molina) which is what the Mets need more than anything to get more out of average pitching which a decent catcher can do
With catchers.. Defense and how well he controls the tempo of the game and pitchers are the priority. A catcher with offense as well is a bonus.
That’s for sure. Not everyone can be Joe Mauer but it is a sweet surprise when a competent catcher comes equipped with a big bat.
I guess Molina offers a slight upgrade considering he’ll be mainly taking Omir Santos’ ABs. Santos is a singles hitter with an OBP that’s as crappy as Molina’s. Molina at least rakes the occasional extra-base hit.
If Thole can develop adequate defensive skills he’ll be a very useful major league player, similar perhaps to a guy like Brian Harper, the Twins catcher of the late 80’s/early 90’s. Molina as the starter with Santos and Barajas as backups and Thole playing everyday at AAA is not a terrible catching situation.
You do, however, have to be concerned with two potential huge OBP holes in the lineup with Molina and Frenchy as starters. That’s a lot of free innings you’re giving opposing pitchers if those guys bat 7 and 8. I think of Omar as a bit like Isiah Thomas. He’s not quite as bad as Isiah, but he has some of the same flaws in his thinking. He brings in guys who look good on paper, but when you put them together the whole plan makes no sense. For example, having a bunch of groundball pitchers in your rotation, then making the worst defensive 2B in the major leagues your starter. Molina and Frenchy have career OBPs of .308 and .311 respectively. I am already envisioning the 6-pitch innings.
I don’t love this move for the Mets if it indeed happens. Omar is such an un-creative GM. I’d rather see the Mets go for a more cost-effective solution to the catching situation and spend the Molina money on an area where an upgrade would really make a difference. For instance, bringing in Adam LaRoche to fill in the 1B hole or taking a flyer on Ben Sheets.
I’m glad the mets are nearing an agreement with Molina. i think 2 years is fair to both sides. I dont know what these met fans are thinking about Thole. the guy has less power than Castillo, and probably feilds as well as Miguel Olivo, i just dont think he will be that good.
He’s a catcher. He doesn’t need a big bat, and his bat could be far above league average for a catcher. He’ll look great bating second behind Jose in the near future.
Anyone who thinks this is not a good deal for the Mets does not understand why the Mets need him. Aside from the Mets recent problems at the catcher position, more importantly Molina brings a vet presence to help guide the Mets more problematic pitchers – Pelfrey/Perez for example. It is widely known that the Mets did not like how Schnieder called the game and they therefore are most interested in Molina for his game calling skills, and what he can bring to the table in terms of helping the pitchers.
Again, anyone who thinks this is a bad deal for the Mets, or is simply saying “oh Molina is old and has horrible OBD he sucks not worth it etc” does not understand the logic behind this deal. Molina hit 20 HR last year – so did the Mets catchers altogether. They do NOT want Molina for just a power bat or some good hitting position player – as I have said it is much deeper than that.- Filibuster
agree!!! with you in all and i think molina is underrated because hes fat but he can run the bases like every other catcher
I hope you’re right because I distinctly remember the Milledge for Church/Schneider deal was spun — in part — to fans as Schneider being a great handler of pitchers. Molina can certainly hit and I’d have no problem with him back there. I’d prefer he’d have some better pitchers to handle. I’m not sure even he can cure Pelfrey’s inconsistency (despite good stuff). Perez is hopeless.