Mets outfielder Curtis Granderson and left-hander Jon Niese have cleared revocable waivers and are now eligible to be traded to any club, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. ESPN’s Jayson Stark reported last week that Granderson had been placed on revocable waivers.
That the 33-year-old Granderson would clear isn’t surprising, as I mentioned following last week’s news that he was placed on waivers. He’s owed about $50MM from this point through the end of the 2017 season, making it unlikely that opposing teams would jump to add that type of money to their payroll. Still, Granderson has recovered from a woeful month of April to bat a respectable .258/.360/.447 with 14 homers in 88 games since. While he’s not looking like a 40-homer threat anymore, those numbers will play in any park, and they’re particularly impressive for a hitter that calls the spacious Citi Field his home.
It’s more surprising that Niese would clear waivers, as the 27-year-old is controlled through the 2018 season and is in the midst of his third consecutive campaign of a sub-3.75 ERA. Niese has posted a 3.41 ERA with 6.3 K/9, 2.4 BB/9 and a 48.4 percent ground-ball rate in 128 1/3 innings, and his annual salary commitments are rather modest. He’s earning $5MM in 2014 (of which roughly $1.34MM remains) plus $7MM in 2015 and $9MM in 2016. His contract contains a pair of more-than-reasonable club options ($10MM in 2017 and $11MM in 2018), both of which come with a mere $500K buyout.
That the Cubs were willing to place a claim on Cole Hamels and the remaining $100MM+ on his contract but elected to pass on Niese (along with every other pitching-hungry team in the game) seems puzzling. As Heyman notes, teams may simply have felt that there was no way the Mets would trade their controllable lefty, which is probably the correct assumption. GM Sandy Alderson has shown a reluctance to move any pieces — even those which could be free agents at season’s end or in a year’s time — without receiving something significant in return. Last year, he elected to hang onto LaTroy Hawkins at the trade deadline, and this season he showed virtually no inclination to move Daniel Murphy, despite his status as free agent following the 2015 campaign.
I’d imagine the asking price on Niese to be well beyond the comfort level of nearly any interested team, but those clubs will have the remainder of the month to kick around ideas and check in with Alderson. (Of course, a club could acquire Niese in September as well, though he’d be ineligible to pitch in the postseason if acquired after Aug. 31.)
Granderson and Niese are the second pair of NL East players to reportedly clear waivers this afternoon, as USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported that both Ian Desmond and Gio Gonzalez cleared waivers as well. All four will be added to MLBTR’s list of players that have reportedly cleared revocable waivers.
ned colleti jumpin the gun on correia
Yeah because the Mets would give away Niese for the same “package”?
If he doesn’t cost a top prospect, I would love to see the Cards make a play for Niese. Young, cost-controlled, slightly above average starter. Move Masterson to the pen as a long man, which they are severely lacking right now. I’d feel pretty comfortable with a playoff rotation of Wainwright, Lynn, Wacha, Lackey with Niese, Miller, and Martinez as backups for Wacha if he can’t return to form. Doesn’t seem like a Cards move though. Of course, neither did Lackey or Masterson.
The asking price on Niese would be exorbitant. Even if he’s not an ace, four years of a cheap mid-rotation starter has enormous value. He’d require at least one top-tier prospect with two or three additional pieces in my mind.
I dunno. 1-2 WAR pitchers aren’t exactly rare these days.
He’s a lefty. That’s the difference. Not saying that should put him into the upper stratosphere but it’s not an easily attainable commodity. Health is always a concern with Niese but he does have some nice stretches. With the surplus of Mets pitching, I could surely see Alderson dangling him at the Winter Meetings if the field office feels comfortable not going into the season with a lefty in the rotation.
he’s better than slightly above average
Career ERA+ of 96. This year is 101. That’s pretty average.
Angels sure could use Niese, but not sure what that would take (and if they have it to give).
Yeah, my thoughts too… But why in the world did they not claim him to begin with?
Angels don’t have any prospects the Mets would want though.
Granderson should rejoin the Tigers as the left-handed-bat-that-might-run-into-one… if money is no object. However, at the moment, there is greater chance of the Tigers missing out on the playoffs v. winning the World Series.
If Verlander is out long-term, money wil again be no object. Insurance covers some of his deal. Personally, I’d hope they pull off a blockbuster type move for Niese, Granderson, and one of the Mets dominant pen arms. Niese can step into the rotation for the rest of the season and when Sanchez returns for the playoffs, we move Niese to the pen as the lefty option we need. Granderson could be the spark to our offense that we desperately need. I just followed the Tigers from New York to Toronto and that lineup looked completely lifeless. A lefty power bat than can play CF is exactly what they need.
Who are the prospects you propose to send to the Mets?
Tigers actually have some good position prospects coming up the pipeline. Steven moya, Devon travis, and Tyler collins. Moya has immense power and would be a coveted Lh corner bat. Needs to refine his approach at the plate more but the power is real. Collins has shown the ability to be a 20-20 guy in Triple A this season. He’s almost major league ready which is what the Mets want. Both are outfield prospects. And Devon Travis is essentially Daniel Murphy with 6 additional years of team control.
if the tigers pay up for Niese, that could be quite a haul for us
grandy would be worth it if we got rid of his paycheck
If it is revealed that Verlander has a long term injury, Tigers need to line up with the Mets for a block buster deal that sends Granderson, Niese and a late-inning bullpen piece to seal up a lot of their holes. Getting Granderson back could really send a spark to the Tigers lineup and clubhouse that needs it. When Sanchez returns, Niese becomes our much needed lefty in the pen
I strongly disagree with pretty much the entirety of this comment. 1) Who would the Mets get back? 2) Why would Niese pitch in relief when he’s been an average to slightly-above average starter his entire career? It doesn’t seem to me that the Tigers have the prospects to pull off that type of move at all.
1 and 3) Tigers have exactly the prospects necessary to get it done. The Tigers best prospects are all position players, specifically corner outfielders that have significant power speed and are close to mlb ready in Tyler collins and one or two years away in steven moya. People didn’t think we had enough to get Price done either and these are not star players we are talking about either. We are talking about an overpaid aging outfielder and a mi rotation starter. 2) Niese is a solid starter, but in a playoff rotation you only need 4. Scherzer, Price, porcello and Sanchez (if healthy) are all better options
I’m saying leave Niese in the rotation until then. Then he retakes a rotation spot next year when scherzer walks
Another so called power hitter who didnt make it with the Mets, great moves by sandy the 2 Youngs and Granderson
Grandy’s been a fine addition. He hasn’t put up very good numbers but he’s helped change the culture of the club. He’s certainly doing better than Choo and Beltrán, and the contract will be better than Ellsbury’s long-term. You can’t knock on the Young signing since there was essentially no-risk in it; in 2015, it’s completely off the books.
They will be in Pitsburg to join the Tiger by days end lol
Got to remember teams like the Royals Pirates A’s wont spend the money on extended contracts.