JULY 7: Colon has interest from the Mets and three other clubs, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post. He’s expected to make a decision on where he’ll sign either today or tomorrow.
JULY 6: Just-released Braves righty Bartolo Colon is drawing quick interest after reaching the open market, according to multiple reports. The Mets have reached out regarding the team’s former rotation stalwart, per Mike Puma of the New York Post (via Twitter).
While it’s notable that the Mets moved so quickly on a fan favorite who so recently played such a significant role with the organization, it’s not yet clear that Colon is slated to return to Queens. The club doesn’t expect to hear back from Colon’s camp until tomorrow, says Puma. And other (as yet unnamed) organizations have also logged their interest in the veteran hurler, per James Wagner of the New York Times (via Twitter).
Colon, 44, washed out with the Braves this year. But Atlanta is paying his sizable guarantee the rest of the way, with other organizations free to retain him for nothing more than the league minimum salary (for whatever time he actually spends in the majors). And despite Colon’s significant struggles this year, it wasn’t long ago that he was a durable and effective starter for the Mets.
That makes the veteran a reasonable target for teams searching for innings down the stretch. Colon has clearly not been at his best this year, but he has perhaps also been unfortunate (.360 BABIP; 48.2% strand rate) to carry an abysmal 8.14 ERA through his 63 innings on the year. With no financial commitment required to take a chance, it won’t be surprising to see Colon back in the majors in relatively short order.
Big sexy back to the big Apple, lets make it happen
Would be funny
So when he pitches against he padres again he can get dfa again
He should go to a huge park like Oakland
Back to where he got caught!
Lol
Oakland has the worst team defense in the majors. Going there for a contact pitcher would be insane
Can’t happen w Cheap Wilpons
Tigers should take a flyer simply to fill out innings if they are planning on flipping a horse like Verlander.
ha, fill out
Kansas City
Mets fans have to be pretty desperate for entertainment to want Colon back in their rotation. Any value as a reliever, perhaps?
Colon said he is fine with relief
No but i think he would want to break the dominican wins record
With a big fat *
Well, everyone is relieved when Colon eats,
He said he’s fine holding the Sun Flower seed bucket to.
When he said he was ok with relief he meant gas relief….
Mets fans are always desperate.
Don’t you ever get tired of being an a**?
He was about a league-average pitcher in Shea last year. His stuff hasn’t deteriorated that much. He might be serviceable as a 5-inning starter for a team with a depleted staff.
Shea?
Hard to believe any team would entertain signing him
Why? The Braves are paying almost his full salary. Minimal risk. Worst case it doesn’t work out, you release him again.
Lol, that’s funny
I can see Padres inquiring.. I mean can’t be any worse than Jared Weaver who for whatever reason might make another start for the Padres at some point.
No they won’t
They have 3-4 starters getting ready to come off the dl
Diaz, cosart, erlin, Friedman, weaver, and they got baumann reliever do back soon, and over turn on the 40 man pitching in El Paso
Overton*
I am telling you, Colon could replace McDowell as Pitching Coach of the O’s and fill in as a starter or bullpen from time to time.
I don’t remember any pitching coach being on the active roster at the same time at the same time, even as a stunt like Minnie Minosa was for Bill Veeck in the late 70’s a few seasons as a player.
Player managers? Sure, many over the years going back to Joe cronin can think of off hand and remember some going back to Frank Robby same.way, just no pitcher player/coaches. you think of any Lefty? Just curious.
I think it would be a first Silver, then again even if it isn’t I want Roger McDowell replaced. He is awful
Warren Spahn was an active player and the Mets pitching coach for most of the 1965 season under Casey Stengel. He did get sold to the Giants, I believe, late in the season. I also think it was his last season.
Pitching coach? So he can teach the youngsters how to lie about their age, have experimental surgery only legal overseas or just take PEDs?
Yeah, what can I say to that, other than Colon has done a good job of reinventing himself and pitching well into his 40’s. I think he could help the O’s pitching staff.
He had a PRP injection, which is quite common among major league players these days.. Colon’s stem cell surgery was investigated thoroughly by MLB, which found no wrongdoing. He got suspended for using testosterone in 2012, for which he was suspended 50 games. He was a Cy Young winner years before he tested positive for a PED,
Latin players often lied about their ages to even get a tryout, as seen in Pelotero. If that was your only way out of poverty, you might do the same. Blame the system that demands 16-year olds, not the players. And Colon did escape that poverty.
BTW both Joe Dimaggio and Phil Rizzuto lied about their ages to get tryouts with the Yankees.
Thank you, a cheat his whole career.
He tested positive for testosterone once, in 2012. So, no, not even close.
Thanks again, cheat from beginning to end in one way or the other.
Maybe he can be a nutrition coach?
Why don’t the Phillies claim Colon before the Padres do? This is no time to slack off. Big series with the Padres this weekend and A.J. Preller is going to be looking to pick up three games on the Phillies and steal that first pick in the 2018 MLB Draft.
No claim involved he’s a free agent
If the Phillies had claimed him off waivers, they would have had to pay him the rest of the $14mil he is owed this year. Now any team can have him for the prorated veterans minimum (with ATL picking up the remainder), but Colon gets to choose where he goes.
The Phillies are paying a combined $56+ million to Jeremy Hellickson, Clay Buchholz, Howie kendrick, Michael Saunders and Pat Neshek.
Neshek is the only guy the Phillies might achieve some kind of prospect return on and with another outing resembling July 1st that won’t happen either.
The amount of money flushed on this MLB garbage is extraordinary and it has passed without any negative comment.
He’d be so stuff on Geno and Pats cheesesteaks he wouldn’t be able to make it to the mound.
Cubs. They need another old washed up starting pitcher
Dark horse team to pick him up the AZ Dbacks. Weak farm system so can’t acquire depth at the line this doesn’t cost any talent so they may say let’s do this and put Corbin or Colon in the pen.
Lol
Colon would get lit up in the nl west
Az and Colorado
With the thin air in Denver he wouldn’t even be able to walk to the mound without stopping to catch his breath 3x.
Well if he’s on AZ he won’t actually have to pitch against AZ. Think about it.
As Dodger fan, I say YES! Brilliant move!
Royals, all day long. Replacement for 5-starter/old Chris Young role, and he’d get to hit, too.
Colon is going to listen to all offers and then call CHEAP Wilpons. He is going to hold them hostage and make them pay more (not quite Bobby Bonilla type annuities–lol). More just so that they know that they did not do the right thing!
The Wilpons are cheap, but are going to end up paying more? Makes no sense. Also, I suggest reading up on how MLB contracts work. Colon is going to sign for the veteran’s minimum where ever he goes, with the Braves continuing to pick up the remaining $14mil he signed earlier this year.
True. Except w all things being equal, he will only sign with them if they provide a separate contract to be a pitching coach next year. No matter if it’s under the table, given Fred’s history with Bernie Madoff.
Colon can still pitch. And probably better then some 30 yr olds in the majors right now. Me being an orioles fan I wouldn’t mind giving him a shot
There are some, misunderstanding the system here, I believe. Correct me, if Ii wrong Jeff. 1} he is still collecting his salary from Atlanta minus the league minimum which a new team would pay 2) he has a choice of who to play for 3) teams can offer him a job but not more salary.
Maybe they could they offer him more celery. Carrots would be good too.
Seems like a losing strategy for signing Bartolo.
I believe technically, a team could off him more than the Braves are paying and would then be on the hook for the full amount, but that wouldn’t ever really happen since he cleared waivers when every team had the chance to take him at his current salary.
But other than that ridiculous scenario, yes, you are correct.
The Mets are ridiculous. Great observation.