Headlines

  • Dodgers Sign Miguel Rojas To Contract Extension
  • Jake McGee Retires
  • Royals Re-Sign Zack Greinke
  • Orioles To Decline Five-Year Lease Extension At Camden Yards, Seeking Longer-Term Agreement With Maryland Stadium Authority
  • Mariners, Dylan Moore Agree to Three-Year Extension
  • Blue Jays Sign Chad Green
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2022-23 MLB Free Agent List
    • Top 50 Free Agents
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2023
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Arbitration Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

NL East Links: Mets Payroll, Phillies, Harper, Nats

By Steve Adams | May 1, 2014 at 12:35pm CDT

The Mets’ relatively low payroll has left them with the ability to make additions that will boost the payroll on the trade market this summer, GM Sandy Alderson told Tyler Kepner of the New York Times yesterday. “We have the authority to go higher if it’s necessary at the trade deadline,” Alderson told Kepner. “I’m not worried about that at all.” Alderson, who somewhat controversially stated a goal of 90 wins for the Mets prior to the season, said he’s optimistic about his team’s chances, knowing that the rotation can continue to compete and the offense is bound to improve.

Here’s more from the NL East…

  • Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. participated in a Q&A with Ryan Lawrence of the Philadelphia Daily News and discussed a host of Phillies-related topics. Asked if he was concerned that every right-hander who opened the season in the bullpen (with the exception of Jonathan Papelbon) had been demoted to Triple-A, Amaro replied: “We’ve already started looking outside with other teams and also with possible free agents. We’ve touched base with a couple of them to see if they’re fits.” Asked if the team had the money to spend on a free agent reliever (i.e. Joel Hanrahan), Amaro said, “If there’s money to spend and we feel it’s something we should do, then we’ll have to address it.”
  • Also within that piece, Amaro discussed his lack of production at third base from Cody Asche. Amaro noted that Asche has typically been a slow starter at every level and preached patience in Asche. Of course, if his struggles continue, the Phillies do have top prospect Maikel Franco waiting in the wings. Franco, however, is hitting just .172/.234/.253 in 94 Triple-A plate appearances after his monstrous .339/.363/.563 line at Double-A in 2013.
  • FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal writes that there’s too much scrutiny on Bryce Harper, who, at 21 years of age, would be the youngest player on the Nationals’ Triple-A affiliate and even the youngest on their Double-A affiliate. He praises Nats manager Matt Williams for pulling Harper following a lack of a hustle just two days after a team meeting in which he mandated such behavior. However, Rosenthal questions Williams’ willingness to discuss the situation at length with the media.
  • In a blog from earlier this week, ESPN’s Keith Law took a more critical view regarding the Nationals’ handling of Harper (ESPN Insider required and recommended). Law feels that Williams singled Harper out with his public reprimand, pointing to the fact that veteran Jayson Werth gave a similarly half-hearted effort on a check-swing grounder a day after Harper’s benching and received no public criticism. Law writes that the Nats made a mistake in hiring a manager with zero experience.
  • Fangraphs’ Jeff Sullivan analyzes the curious way that pitchers are pitching to Anthony Rendon and wonders why the league hasn’t adjusted to him yet. Rendon, Sullivan writes, has seen more in-zone fastballs than all but two hitters over the past year, and he’s tattooed those pitches accordingly, yet the rate of in-zone fastballs he’s seeing is actually increasing. Sullivan points out that players who see a comparable amount of fastballs are names like Jeff Keppinger and Jamey Carroll, but Rendon possesses significantly more power than either, leading to his great success thus far in 2014.
Share 9 Retweet 18 Send via email6

New York Mets Philadelphia Phillies Washington Nationals Joel Hanrahan

Blue Jays Designate Moises Sierra For Assignment
Main
Latest On Joel Hanrahan
View Comments (11)

Comments

  1. Mike1L

    9 years ago

    I think that’s Tyler Kepner of the New York Times

    Reply
    • Steve Adams

      9 years ago

      Thanks for that catch.

      Reply
  2. sflomenb

    9 years ago

    Don’t make excuses for Harper. I thought he was one of the best players? It’s sad how people compared him to Trout.

    Reply
    • WhoKilledTheRallyMonkey

      9 years ago

      Hindsight is always 20/20. Now it seems a lil silly to compare Harper and Trout but when they first came up it was justified. Harper was actually better in his first 130 PA than Trout, granted Trouts first 130 PA were in 2011 not 2012. Trout first 135 PA: .220/.280/.390 Harper first 129 PA: .271/.355/.505.

      Now its easy to say Trout was the better player but in the first half of 2012 there was no reason to think Trout would sustain his superstar performance or that Harper wouldn’t have a Trout like break out after his first 130 PA.

      Context is everything.

      Reply
    • DarthMurph

      9 years ago

      There is too much scrutiny on Harper, though his attitude hasn’t helped matters. The media made a big deal about a player who obviously needs time to find his stride. Most players do.

      Reply
      • Drazthegr8

        9 years ago

        He has a fantastic attitude. He’s usually trying to run through walls or stretching singles to doubles like no one else, making times when he isn’t hustling look worse. He’s pleasant, good with the media, and teammates seem to really like him. And… He’s 21.

        Reply
    • stl_cards16

      9 years ago

      He had a combined 8.3 WAR in his first two seasons at an age of most players in single-A. The only people knocking him are reaching at best. He’s a very good player and is 5-6 years away from his prime.

      Reply
  3. TDKnies

    9 years ago

    Harper gets too much scrutiny because a lot of people are really sick of so much of the media hyping him up too much too early. Example, a huge majority of ESPN writers picked him to win the MVP award in a piece they released towards the end of spring training. The friggin’ MVP! With over half the votes! That’s not Harper’s fault, but it will make some viewers royally ticked when Harper doesn’t meet those expectations right away thinking “What’s the big deal with this guy?”

    I think Harper’s fantastic. Love the way he plays the game. And he’s had a very impressive start to his career especially considering his age. But it’s really annoying to watch some of the media get hopped up on predicting the next step instead of letting it actually happen and then celebrating it. He’s great, so let’s call him great. But let’s wait until he’s actually an MVP before we start calling him that too.

    Reply
  4. alphabet_soup5

    9 years ago

    Harper is #16 in all-time wRC+ from ages 19-21, give him time. Trout is in a class of his own, but Harper still has great potential.

    Reply
  5. hawkny1

    9 years ago

    Williams has to establish that he is the manager otherwise his stay in Washington will be shorter than his contract was written for. FWIW, he is old school so expect more of the same with other players who fail to play the way Matt wants them to play on the field. As for the Mets it is so nice to see them get off to a competitive start. Lets hope they can keep it up.

    Reply
  6. $21621694

    9 years ago

    Saying the nats “made a mistake hiring a manager with zero experience” is risky for Law. I would say Law made a mistake by making such comment. Also, there will be a point in time when all these excuses of “Harper is still the youngest player that ever lived” or “He should be a sophomore in college at his age”, etc. will cease to exist and we will really see what kind of player he is.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.
Log in Register

ad: 300x250_1_MLB

    Top Stories

    Dodgers Sign Miguel Rojas To Contract Extension

    Jake McGee Retires

    Royals Re-Sign Zack Greinke

    Orioles To Decline Five-Year Lease Extension At Camden Yards, Seeking Longer-Term Agreement With Maryland Stadium Authority

    Mariners, Dylan Moore Agree to Three-Year Extension

    Blue Jays Sign Chad Green

    Rays Extend Yandy Diaz

    Dexter Fowler Announces Retirement

    Mets Sign Jeff McNeil To Four-Year Extension

    Red Sox, Marlins Swap Matt Barnes For Richard Bleier

    Darren O’Day Announces Retirement

    Braves Extend Manager Brian Snitker Through 2025

    Rays Sign Pete Fairbanks To Extension

    Royals Sign Aroldis Chapman To One-Year Deal

    Athletics Sign Jesús Aguilar

    Orioles Acquire Cole Irvin From A’s

    Astros Name Dana Brown General Manager

    Rays Extend Jeffrey Springs

    Royals, Red Sox Swap Adalberto Mondesi For Josh Taylor

    Red Sox Designate Matt Barnes For Assignment

    Recent

    Quick Hits: Muñoz, Sadler, Vavra

    Brandon Crawford Discusses Offseason, Upcoming Campaign

    Dodgers Notes: Valenzuela, Urias, Vargas, Muncy

    Giants, Logan Webb Have Talked About Long-Term Extension

    Reds Sign Nick Plummer, Nick Martini To Minors Contracts

    Royals Looking Into Extensions For Young Players

    Dodgers Sign Miguel Rojas To Contract Extension

    Red Sox Sign Jake Faria To Minor League Contract

    Giants Sign Roberto Perez

    Nationals Sign Chad Kuhl To Minor League Deal

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Offseason Outlook Series
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Go Ad-Free
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2023
    • 2022-23 MLB Free Agent List
    • MLB Player Chats
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    ad: 160x600_MLB

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • Feeds by Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    hide arrowsFOX Sports Engage Network scroll to top
    Close

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version