The Mets are maintaining “solid interest” in free-agent lefty Jason Vargas, tweets Mike Puma of the New York Post. The 35-year-old Vargas should would give the Mets some much-needed stability at the back of the rotation and could presumably be had on a short-term commitment.
Vargas recently wrapped up a four-year, $32MM contract with the Royals that featured a pair of healthy seasons in the first and last years of the contract, while the middle two (2015-16) were largely wiped out by Tommy John surgery. In his first full season back from surgery, Vargas made 32 starts for Kansas City, totaling 179 1/3 innings and being named to the All-Star team for the first time in a career that has spanned parts of 12 seasons.
That All-Star berth came on the heels of a 2.22 ERA through the season’s first three months, though Vargas achieved that mark by stranding an unsustainable 86 percent of the baserunners he allowed. That number came crashing back to Earth in the season’s second half (69.3 percent), and the pristine control that Vargas showed through the season’s first 101 innings eluded him, as he averaged 3.9 walks per nine innings pitched over his final 16 starts.
Vargas pitched to a 6.66 ERA in those 16 starts, leaving his final 2017 numbers looking solid but not especially impressive. The lefty turned in a 4.16 ERA with 6.7 K/9, 2.9 BB/9, 1.35 HR/9 and a 40.3 percent ground-ball rate. That work is a fairly close match for the 4.01 ERA he turned in over 1082 2/3 innings from 2009-15 upon establishing himself as a big league regular up until his 2015 Tommy John procedure.
Suffice it to say, Vargas wouldn’t give the Mets a massive boost at the top of their rotation. He would, however, be a fairly reliable source of innings in the middle of their rotation, and few teams could use stable innings to round out their starting corps more than the Mets. Only Jacob deGrom managed a full, healthy season in the Mets’ once-vaunted rotation last year, as Noah Syndergaard, Matt Harvey, Steven Matz, Zack Wheeler, Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman all saw significant time on the disabled list. Mets starters posted a collective 5.14 ERA and totaled just 865 2/3 innings in 2017, both of which were the fourth-worst marks among all 30 Major League teams.
Does a one year at 7 mil does that sound right in this market or is that way off? I really don’t know. Given the current stat of the Orioles SP you would think they would be all over Vargas even if I don’t think he would play that great in the ALE.
after his second half, and lack of interest from other clubs, it’ll probably be in the 5 million or 4
Yeah I’ve had him pegged for Baltimore, a relatively cheap lefty that was an All Star last year. Definitely fits a team that needs to fill depth on a rotation, you can do much worse than Vargas as your 4th or 5th starter.
not last year, but 2014
At his age a two year 12 mil is appropriate. Solid BOR starter.
have no problem with this team trying to add depth
ROFLOL!
Mets share the largest market in MLB and they’re pursuing Jason Vargas when Yu Darvish and Jake Arrieta were sitting there for them.
What is the bigger shame, the Mets or the corporate baseball media who refuse to call Fred Wilpon what he is, a bloodsucking criminal?
I think this comment is a shame
“The Mets share the largest market in MLB . . . “
The Mets are still paying for 1) the Wilpons purchase of Doubleday’s share of the team, 2) building that new stadium of theirs, and 3) costs associated with starting their own teevee network. Once those three items have been removed or greatly lessened I’d expect the Mets will go back to spending like a large market team, even without Bernie M money sweetening their pot.
“Fred Wilpon . . . a blood sucking criminal”
That’s a bit much. What criminal activity has he engaged in, and be specific?
I doubt that is the case. They can always find another excuse not to spend. Even now, I doubt payments on any of the things you point out are not covered by current revenue with plenty to spare. NY market, diehard fan base. All that said, I’m not aware of criminal activity by the Wilpons (but I no longer live in NYS, so I defer to those with access to local media). They’re just crappy owners.
I wouldn’t call the Wilpon’s criminals but my opinion is I don’t think they were as blind as they say they were in the Madoff scheme.. Wilpon;s are just terrible owners and bad business men. They just don’t belong owning a MLB team. They need to sell the team and stick with real estate.
“Wilpon’s criminals but my opinion is I don’t think ”
The evidence that makes you think this is what?
Dumbest comment of the day award winner.
i’m not defending wilpon in any way here, but he isn’t a criminal, he is a businessman. would you do any differently in the same situation? i’m sure he is using most of the money he “puts back into his pocket” to pay for the tv deal and new stadium.
Yeah, I would try to win the World Series as often as possible as the Yankees do.
They share the same market. Why would one team try to win all the time while the other just steals as much money as possible? Why should that be acceptable?
“ . . . while the other just steals as much money as possible.”
Just who is it you are accusing of “stealing”? If folks choose to support the Wilpons team that is not stealing.
“They share the same market.”
Yes, but their circumstances are not the same. The Mets built their own stadium, they own it and are paying for it. The Yanquis rent their stadium from the City of NY, hence no construction debt.
The Yanks teevee network is several years older than SNY and they have a partner there sharing expenses. GMS 3rd bought his team for ~$10M, little of it his. The current generation of Steinbrenners inherited their portions of the team from their father, hence zero acquisition costs.
You’re basically asking why apples aren’t more like oranges.
But wouldn’t signing Darvish or Arrietta cost the Mets a draft pick and/or international dollars? Can NY afford this? Also, keep in mind, Yu and Jake are free agents. Even if the dollars are right, it’s their choice to sign or not to sign with a particular team. It’s not like a trade or a draft.
Would really love to see them spend a little more money and go out and get Lance Lynn as the number 3. Thor, Degrom, Lynn as your 123 would be pretty damn good.
Fred sould spend some money on Lynn and Watson instead of putting up the money on that project in Elmont.
I think Wheeler, Lugo, and Gsmellman should start the season in the bullpen, with a signing of one more pitcher to help out in the rotation. If Vargas can repeat his numbers in the first half, it’ll be a steal
would love to see the Mets follow through on this
It’s a good fit. Still do not think Met’s will go for it.
A very Mets move. Vargas isn’t bad but he doesn’t move the needle
Fred is begging you to buy a few tickets
This would work on a 1 year incentive-heavy deal. Maybe $4mm base, with $1mm bonus for 15 starts (or 30 pen appearances), another $1.5mm at 25 starts (or 45 pen appearances) and another $1.5mm for 30 starts (or 60 pen appearances).
Nice. Used should, would, and could, all in the same sentence.
The Mets don’t need star power in the rotation. Between Degrom and Noah, they already have that covered. What they need are some decent innings.
1. Degrom
2. Syndergaard
3. Vargas
4/5. Harvey, Gsellman,Wheeler. Matz, Lugo
That actually doesn’t look bad. Of course, all 5 of those bottom starters were hurt/sucked last year ( as was Thor). The key, as always, is health.
Solid pitcher despite second half of last season. Will add decent stability to the backend, should Mets pick him up. In a rebuild posture, surprised that Royals would let him go, as he’s fairly cheap on a short term deal, to stabilize their rotation.
Agreed. If he’d managed to replicate 1st half numbers from last year, could be flipped at the deadline.
If the money’s right this isn’t a terrible signing, mets get a lefty they could use as a starter or even possibly throw into the pen if the rest of the rotation lives up to the hype they’ve been preaching to us for the last few years.
Jamie Garcia just went for 8 mil and 1 year, I don’t think the mets should offer vargas more than 5 mil at 1 year given his age
I’m sorry. 1/2 season resulting in an all star appearance doesn’t get me excited. i understand we don’t need an Arrietta, and heck…even Lynn may be too much…but we can do better than Vargas. if his second half numbers hold up… he can be a straight up disaster.
Lynn or a trade for Odorizi would be a better investment. Vargas just doesn’t do it. They need a solid third pitcher if Harvey/Matz don’t cut it.