Former top prospect Fernando Martinez and left-handed reliever Danny Herrera are on waivers, according to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com. The Mets need to clear 40-man roster space for Scott Hairston and Ronny Cedeno.
Martinez, 23, has a .183/.250/.290 line in 145 plate appearances with the Mets since 2009. He spent most of the 2011 season at Triple-A, posting a .260/.329/.417 line with 19 extra base hits in 250 plate appearances. Baseball America named him one of the top 100 prospects in the game before each of the 2007-10 seasons.
Herrera, 27, joined the Mets in last summer's Francisco Rodriguez trade. The sidearmer pitched 9 2/3 innings in the Major Leagues in 2011 and spent most of the season at Triple-A. He posted a 2.20 ERA with 7.9 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9 for the top affiliates of the Brewers and Mets. He can declare free agency if he clears waivers.
Martinez is a bust.
Water is wet.
Obvious statement is obvious.
How the mighty Martinez, proposed stock chip for Manny Ramirez, has fallen.
23 years of age, I’d say that’s a bit premature.
Its not premature at all if you followed his career a bit. Hes been called the Mets next great outfielder since they signed him at 16 years old. In 2008 he was the # 20 prospect in baseball and it all went downhill from there. Prior to 2011 he didnt even make the list. Some may blame it on the injuries but he hasn’t really even shown glimpses of being a good major league player. If I was a team with a weak farm system I would take a flier on him. Hes only 23 but who knows maybe he can be a late bloomer.
That’s exactly how I feel. Wasn’t calling him a top prospect but I certainly wouldn’t call him a bust at age 23.
Edit: although I’d say any team that is a bit low on outfield prospects should take a flier on him – it’s not like they have to give anything up. Wont miss him much but there were other players on the 40 man more deserving to get cut.
Yea I guess it just depends what people define as a “bust.” I personally think he is a bust because he was so hyped up but hasnt developed after all these years.
He can’t stay healthy. He’s only 23 and already has arthritis which is never going to go away.
It would be a solid depth move for the Braves to snatch up F-Mart! Plus it would be hilarious if he finally panned out.
He’s played 6 minor league seasons and has accumulated a little over 1750 PAs. Unless the Braves can fix his now arthritic knee and complete inability to stay healthy I don’t think you’ll see very many Mets fans worried about him panning out elsewhere.
That’s why it would be funny. Duh.
I looked over his stats in the minors, what was the book on Martinez? Why was he so highly rated? There doesn’t appear to be any one thing (speed/power/avg) that stands out….
He was always young and the hope was that results woiuld eventually catch up to his tools. They didn’t and the tools also declined at the same time.
I’m sure part of the hype was due to his being a Met as well.
Cheers for that.
But he did have the results too (albeit short-lived)…he posted an .894 OPS in low-A ball at 17 which is just incredible. Was one of the main reasons why he became a top 25 prospect.
Because they signed him when he was like 9. He was the best preteen to ever play single A ball
He had some decent spurts at decent levels at a young age.
.772 OPS @ AA at age 19
.877 OPS @ AAA at age 20 (45 games before going on the DL for rest of season)
He just could never stay healthy.
Is there any chance he can still pull things together? Don’t know him that well but it’s only been two years since he OPSd .877 in 45 games as a 21 year old in AAA. Seems like a guy someone would be willing to take a flier on, still only 23.
He would be a steal for the team getting him provided Martinez stays healthy.
Otherwise, he’s just AAA filler for said team’s disabled list.
I don’t see Herrara making it thru…somebody has got to a claim on him don’t they?
Despite being overrated, he looked like he would have a solid future but that injury bug again. Mets are a dangerous team to play with, I wouldn’t sign there, Ike Davis might get his legs cut off standing on the on deck circle this year.
No way that DJ Carrasco is more valuable than Herrera. Alderson just doesn’t want to admit he actually signed someone to a bad contract. Pathetic.
Carrasco is a different role. He can play a swing man and be a good 4 inning mop up guy…i know….i plan my teams based on success…
touche
I’d take Herrera.
There were less risky choices than these two (Hefner, Carrasco, Schwinden, Armando Rodriguez). F-Mart didn’t live up to the hype but never stayed healthy. Hererra might have been a risk, but a lefty with a screwball would have been worth hanging on to. (And selfishly, I just enjoyed watching him out there. Was a fun guy to see going about his business).
Herrera for free? Dibs…
DIBS
dang, you win. Who’s your team?
Rangers. We needed a lefty anyway. Pretty sure JD licked him, too, so no one else is going to want to touch him.
A side arming lefty who throws a screwball? Dude, that’s too rare, my Rays will deal with JD’s spit and this convo is getting weird….
quick, say hideo nomo.
A midget side arming lefty who throws a screwball. The guy’s like 5 foot nothing.
We aren’t selling jeans here…
isn’t a lefty screwballer just a deformed righty?
Funny, I remember the uproar when Martinez was not included in the Santana trade. As terrible as that trade was I guess Carlos Gomez was a good piece by comparison.
Horrible when it was made but now Santana can’t even get on a mound. Might of actually worked out for the Twins if they kept Hardy after trading Gomez for him but I don’t think either team (Twins left with no one from the deal I believe and Mets lefty with a extremely high paid guy who keeps having setbacks) would be happy about that trade right now.
If they kept phil humber they would have made out
No, it was still a terrible trade. Twins could have had either Phil Hughes or JON LESTER and they got who?!? Bad bad bad!
They were offered Lester?
Ok, it was a terrible trade. I forgot the Red Sox were in on it, I remember the Yankees were.
That’s probably the best trade Theo Epstein never made.
Martinez just turned 23. He’s had injury problems, I don’t understand why people are writing off his skills.
His inability of keeping himself healthy could have played a hand in the decision.
even still, with his potential, it’s worth holding on to him, at least until he runs out of options…when you look our 40 man roster, I think there is about ten or so names of straight filler that wouldn’t get claimed if they came with a free carwash.
He has arthritis. That’s not even being injury prone. In order to be injury prone you would have to have the ability to be healthy
We should have asked for Lucas Duda.
I would imagine these guys were designated, which gives them 10 days to trade them? Doesn’t that work the same way in the offseason?
Yes but if they can’t trade them, the player has the option of staying with the team, off the 40 man or he can choose to look for a deal somewhere else. I actually think at this point, F-Mart will stay and Herrera will look for and find a job somewhere else.
Yes but if they can’t trade them it’s the players choice to stay and be taken off the 40 man or become a FA. I predict Martinez stays and Herrera becomes a FA.
Actually, neither of them has anywhere near enough service time to decline an outright assignment. But it’s a moot point because someone will claim them.
Is Danny Ray Herrera a sidearmer? I don’t recall seeing that, and I saw him pitch in person against the Dodgers (in the game where Manny had his hand broken). Screwball, yes – Sidearm, I don’t think so.
The kid is only 23. Give him some more time before labeling a bust. Both players are good low risk signings. Wouldn’t mind seeing the Astros or Orioles pick them up.
Yes. A side arming lefty with a screwball. I don’t remember the last guy who did that. I’m just intrigued.
This was meant as a reply to I_Alivandi
The odd thing is this. I’m not going to sit and say either will ever amount to a star…BUT….we’re talking about the Mets. They aren’t going anywhere and they should be looking for cheap players with glimmers of talent. I don’t know if they were rule 5 guys in 2012 but to release them for Hairston and Cedeno, two role players at best, seems odd. Seems like they shoudl’ve been able to trade the two of them for someone elses C prospect with a little more control.
Could they have traded them for prospects (C level guys) who DIDN’T require a spot on the 40 man? just wondering.
This has me scratching my head big time. With Martinez turning 23 recently, he is finally the average age for his level (he made it to triple A at age 19). He has always been praised for his batting mechanics; bat speed, torque, smooth followthrough…whats changed? so he’s been injured the past few years, that’s to bad, but what if he gets healthy this year? At his age he could progress and not miss a beat. It’s ridiculous to loose him for the sake of roster filler, when no position player in our top prospect list even has his potential.
With that knee already arthritic at such young age plus all those hammy injuries, he’s ill suited for the outfield, has noticeably slowed and would perhaps fair best with position shift to infield corner. It’s hard to see how he fits in Mets system under any of these circumstances.
Now I’m not suggesting give up on his major league career, but rather, he doesn’t seem like a fit for the Mets who already have the slow-footed Ike at first base and same in Duda in right.
Someone asked Keith Law if F-Mart would be a good fit for the Astros. Law said no due to medicals.
I hope the Yanks sign both. We can use some OF depth above A+ and we could audition Herrera for a 2nd lefty spot.
The chances of the Yankees signing Martinez are extremely thin.
Firstly, he’ll either be claimed by one of the many teams who have rights to claim him before the Yanks and their excellent 2011 W-L record allow. And two, if he clears waivers, I think chances are 50-50 Mets retain him as he doesn’t yet have free agent rights that Herrera does.
Speaking of Herrera, if reports are true that Alderson has put the latter through waivers, I think that’s bad decision. It would be wise for Yanks to sign him if they can should Herrera not be claimed and declares free agency.
Padres should take a chance on F-Mart