The Mets signed Kiko Calero to a minor league deal worth up to $1.5MM. He earns $850K if he makes the team, with another $650K available in incentives. There is no opt-out if the Mets send him to the minors.
Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News tweeted news of the deal, which was announced on SNY's broadcast of this afternoon's Mets game. Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweeted the details.
Calero had been looking for a major league deal, so the Mets deserve credit for adding him on a minor league contract, especially since there's a good chance Kelvim Escobar will start the season injured.
The 35-year-old pitched 60 innings of 1.95 ERA ball last year for the Marlins, with 10.4 K/9 and 4.5 BB/9. But the Marlins had concerns about his health and they weren't the only ones. Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe heard from two executives who said Calero's medicals didn't look good (Twitter link). That didn't prevent eight teams from offering the righty minor league deals, according to MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez (via Twitter).
Well, they finally did it – at a discount of course…
As a Braves fan that usually gives its fair share of criticism to the mets when they deserve it, great signing!
He makes up for Brian Stokes.
Low risk. Good signing.
Feliciano, Calero, Igarashi, and K-Rod… not a bad bullpen bunch.
I’m hoping it allows the mets to leave parnell in the minors to develop some off-speed stuff
I guess Beimel wasn’t interested.. Mets need another LH reliever so I guess its wishful thinking that he’s signed before the season starts but this was a good move by the Mets
It wouldn’t suprise me if they did still go after Beimel or Mahay.
This is a minor league deal, Calero is really not assured of anything.
Escobar is likely to start the year on the DL.
And if I was Sean Green I wouldn’t get too comfterable anyways.
The only locks for the bullpen I see are K-Rod, Feliciano, Igarashi, and Parnell, those last 3 spots are up for grabs as far as I’m concerned.
Plus, as you said another Lefty would be preferred.
There is a decent chance parnell could start the year in the minors depending on his spring
Parnell had a 3.46 ERA as a reliever last year and the organization clearly thinks highly of him as a reliever, it would take a meltdown for him not to make the roster.
35 years old?! Wow I didn’t realize that…Good signing though. Beimel up next?
Very good signing, i just hope they still go after beimel or mahay.
Good move by the Mets. They wont go after Beimel or Mahay if either demands a major league deal.
After their experience last year with all those injuries, I’m a little surprised the Mets continue to take chances on guys with questionable health. Sure, if Calero and Escobar are both healthy it’ll wind up being a couple of good pickups. I’m just not sure the Mets have the depth to be taking these kind of gambles. They’re obviously willing to roll the dice in exchange for some upside this year.
My Mets are desperate – they r going for bodies now
Is there another Mets team out there I haven’t heard of that signed him? Surely it couldn’t be the NEW YORK Mets? Right? (Good signing!)
This is certainly one of the Mets’ better offseason moves. The Mets’ bullpen last year was pretty much K-Rod and Feliciano; everyone else was either mediocre (Stokes, Parnell) bad (Green, Putz) or completely forgettable (Takahashi, Dessens.) The Mets need arms out there and this is an ideal low-risk, high-reward move.
Yep – Mets need bodies right now
Agree Calero an Escobar are risks but they’re low-risk/high-reward potential. If they bomb, not much really lost. The bigger issue is do the Mets have a lead for them to hold by the time they get the ball in any game started by someone other than Johan Santana?
I’ve been hoping they’d find a way to land Calero as he knows the NL East and has had success. Forcing him to win a spot doesn’t hurt either. He’s already better than Green (who got lit up today by the Cardinals, so much for that new windup) and Parnell.
Your right..It is early spring but Green looked bad today.. Im still hoping Beimel is picked up.. We are in a league with dominant LH bats.. Especially in Philly.
Parnell will be alot better this season.. He doesn’t need another stint in the minors..He’s ready now
We should change our team name to Low Risk/High Reward
Oh man. The Mets made a good signing.
They’re wising up and moving Parnell back to the pen, btw, right?
Dear Jim Hendry,
Semi-Injured Kiko Calero >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> David Patton
UN-REEEEAL. Reyes scratched from lineup today, will go to NY for tests for an “overactive thyroid.” Says he feels fine, has nothing to do with his legs but concerned about his “health.” According to NY Daily News’s Adam Rubin.