7:56pm: More from Rubin (via Twitter) as a Mets official says that these additions do not take the Mets out of the running for other free agent starters such as Chris Young and Jeff Francis. Rubin also tweets that Igarashi, due to his salary, is expected to clear waivers and hook on with the Mets in major league camp as a non-roster invitee.
7:41pm: Capuano's deal has a base of $1.5MM plus incentives while Buchholz will earn a $600K base salary, according to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com (Twitter links). The Brewers all but closed the door on bringing back Capuano when they dealt for Zack Greinke and signed Shaun Marcum as Capuano wants to start. Meanwhile, Buchholz says that the Mets will use him as a reliever.
6:08pm: The Mets have signed pitchers Chris Capuano and Taylor Buchholz to one-year deals, tweets Mike Puma of the New York Post. In order to make room for the two, the Mets have designated Ryota Igarashi for assignment, Puma tweets.
Capuano, 32, turned in a 3.95 ERA with 7.4 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 in 66 innings of work last season for the Brewers. The left-hander missed the 2008 and '09 major league seasons after undergoing his second Tommy John surgery in May of 2008. In 2010 he made nine starts with 15 relief appearances. Capuano was never a flamethrower but his 87.4 mph fastball last season was consistent with his career average.
Buchholz, a 29-year-old right-hander, was originally selected in the sixth-round of the 2006 draft by the Phillies. Since then, he has spent time with the Astros, Rockies, and had a cup of coffee with the Blue Jays to close out 2010. In 285 career big league innings, Buchholz has a 4.39 ERA with 6.4 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9. He started a combined 27 games in 2008 and 2009 but has not made a major league start since.
Meanwhile, Igarashi is owed $1.1MM for 2011. The Japanese right-hander signed a two-year deal with the club in December 2009 but disappointed in 2010, registering a 7.12 ERA with 7.4 K/9 and 5.3 BB/9 in 34 appearances.
I’m not so sure Fred Lewis would be a good fit for the Mets. I would love to have his bat on the bench, especially since it’s lacking a lefty bat right now, but I see him having a lot of troubles in the OF at Citi (particularly CF and RF).
Would love to see them sign Chris Young.
lewis is one of the only fa left that can play all 3 of positions. add in the fact that he is a lefty and gets on base. he will try to get a starting job with other teams but once that falls through he should sign cheap with the mets.
He doesn’t play all 3 OF positions. He has played CF and RF before, but the vast majority of his time has been in LF. He’s never shown good range in any OF position. I agree that his bat would be a much better fit for the bench than just about anybody left out there. They really need somebody who can spell Pagan and Beltran in CF and RF. I’m not so sure that Lewis could handle that area of Citi Field.
edit: there are a few FA who actually do play all 3 OF positions, Reed Johnson and Laynce Nix come to mind. Neither bat would look as good as Lewis, but they would certainly be capable of handling the OF in Citi.
Totes agree, but $$$ is the factor.
The $$$ is a sunk cost — it’s money the Mets will have to pay whether he stays or goes, and whether he ever gets an opportunity to blow another lead, or just rots on the bench. We can’t kid ourselves that anyone else wants him, and he actually does the team a lot more good NOT entering games. So I say trash him and free up a roster spot for someone who actually CAN help the team ’cause we don’t have a whole lot to work with this season.
Wow…one good season from Acosta. He’s the kind of guy you sell while his value is high. You’ll see when his ERA goes back to the mid 3’s-4s next season.
As far as Pat Mush goes, he is a minor league pitcher. Nothing more, nothing less. Good at home, sucked on the road. I’m glad YOU are not pulling the strings. I see exactly what Sandy is trying to do. He’s improving the pen from the ground up. Let Taka & Feliciano go, released Iggy…and he’s not done yet. Fuentes is probably his next target.
the capuano signing also gives leverage to alderson while negotiations with chris young continue
I think if he’s on the 25-man