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Mets Notes: Murphy, Payroll, Zobrist, O’Day

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Any chance that might’ve existed for a reunion between Daniel Murphy and the Mets evaporated with the news of Murphy’s three-year agreement with the Nationals.  Murphy going to an NL East rival probably stings the Mets, though the club had never expressed too much interest in re-signing the infielder and had already moved on by trading for Neil Walker and signing Asdrubal Cabrera to address middle infield needs.  Because Murphy rejected the Mets’ $15.8MM qualifying offer (an offer that was no certainty to be extended prior to Murphy’s huge postseason), New York now receives a compensatory draft pick between the first and second rounds of next June’s amateur draft.  Here’s some more from Queens…

  • The Mets’ 2016 payroll stands at roughly $106.5MM, according to ESPN New York’s Adam Rubin.  This total includes projected arbitration salaries, estimated $600K salaries for pre-arb players and another $600K for the right-handed hitting outfielder Rubin feels the team will add before Opening Day.  While $106.5MM is low by the standards of a big-market club (especially one in New York), it’s actually slated to be the Mets’ highest Opening Day payroll in five years, according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts.
  • In a follow-up tweet, Rubin feels the payroll could be in the neighborhood of $112MM depending on the backup outfielder and if the Mets acquire a setup man.
  • While the Mets continue to be criticized for their modest spending, Joel Sherman of the New York Post wonders if the critics would’ve disappeared had the team been successful in landing Ben Zobrist, who the Mets made a huge push to sign before he opted to join the Cubs.  That said, Sherman wonders if the Mets front office has by this point simply “just learned not to even go to certain areas” in terms of player contracts since it knows that ownership doesn’t have the funds.  Sherman believes, for instance, that Darren O’Day would’ve been an ideal target and could’ve been a huge upgrade for the Mets’ bullpen, yet the club refused to spend at the top of the relief market.
  • In other Mets news from earlier today on MLBTR, the club has ruled out a pursuit of Yoenis Cespedes.  According to CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman, the Mets made Cespedes an offer of two or three years, though no salary figures were discussed.

Mets Rule Out Yoenis Cespedes

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If the door was cracked open even a little bit before for Yoenis Cespedes to re-sign with the Mets, it now appears to have been slammed shut.  The Mets are still looking to add a right-handed hitting outfielder, but it won’t be Cespedes, sources familiar with their thinking tell Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.

The Mets are heading into 2016 with lefty bats in left field (Michael Conforto), right field (Curtis Granderson) and first base (Lucas Duda) and they’re eyeing right-handed bats as a complement to that, including Steve Pearce and others of that ilk, according to Heyman.  Of course, it’s not a huge surprise to hear that the Mets are moving on from Cespedes after their recent signing of Alejandro De Aza.

At some point this winter, the Mets offered a short term deal of perhaps “two or three” years for the Cuban slugger, sources tell Heyman.  Interestingly enough, they never got around to discussing dollars.  As Heyman notes, that probably wouldn’t have moved the needle one way or another anyway since Cespedes is widely expected to net a five- or six-year deal.  At the outset of the offseason, MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes predicted that Cespedes would net a six-year, $140MM deal.

Right now, it’s not immediately clear where Cespedes could land.  The Orioles and Angels have been linked to Cespedes, with the Tigers, Royals and Giants also being involved.  The White Sox have also been mentioned as a possible suitor for the Roc Nation client as they have a need in left field.

NL East Notes: Petit, Stammen, Mets, Fernandez, Marlins

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Yusmeiro Petit chose to sign with the Nationals because they’re “always in contention,” he told James Wagner of the Washington Post. Petit added that his familiarity with catcher Wilson Ramos — a teammate from the Venezuelan Winter League — and the fact that he knows backup catcher Jose Lobaton also played a part in his decision. Petit spoke with Wagner about how he’s managed to succeed over the past three seasons despite his lack of velocity, working to keep his wind-up and delivery short to hide the ball from batters. The longtime Giants hurler said he had a feeling he might be non-tendered in San Francisco just because of how little he was utilized late in the season. He will most likely assume a similar role to the one he had in San Francisco, although Petit tells Wagner he’ll be ready if the Nationals need help at the back of their rotation.

Here’s more from Wagner’s piece and from the rest of the division…

  • Prior to signing Petit, the Nationals tried to work out a deal with former Nat Craig Stammen, whose 2015 season ended due to surgery to repair a torn flexor tendon, Wagner reports. However, Washington was only comfortable offering Stammen 80 percent of what he made last season, which would represent the maximum a player’s salary can be cut in arbitration. The proposed deal included incentives to boost Stammen’s salary, but the two sides couldn’t reach a deal, and Stammen was ultimately non-tendered. MLBTR’s Zach Links reported earlier this month that Stammen is said to be 100 percent recovered from the operation.
  • Joel Sherman of the New York Post recently attempted to peg the value of the Mets’ excellent rotation by estimating what each would receive on the open market at present. Despite the fact that much of the group is lacking in experience, Sherman estimates that the combination of Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey, Noah Syndergaard, Steven Matz and even Zack Wheeler, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, could collectively earn one billion dollars. While that sounds outlandish, Sherman ran the number by six different executives from around the league, including GMs and scouting directors, and none refuted the notion. As Sherman points out, teams like the Red Sox have spent in excess of $130MM on Cuban talent (Yoan Moncada and Rusney Castillo) despite not knowing how immediately either would contribute in the Majors; as such, he hypothesizes that it’s not unreasonable that a team would submit a nine-figure bid even to Matz, despite the fact that he’s started just nine games in the Majors. While the exercise is entirely hypothetical, it’s still an interesting concept to think about. And, more interestingly, it raises the question of whether the Mets should be willing to part with one of their starters to fill holes elsewhere on the roster. In a market that is paying starting pitchers extremely aggressively, Sherman notes, New York’s starters have nearly unprecedented value. He points to the Braves’ return for Shelby Miller and notes that most of the Mets’ rotation is more controllable and, in some cases, younger than Miller.
  • In his latest Marlins inbox, MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro tackles multiple trade-related questions, including one on ace Jose Fernandez. While the 23-year-old’s name has come up often in rumors recently, Frisaro writes that the Marlins’ hope is still to retain Fernandez and add pitching help around him. He quotes team president David Samson: “There is no rift with Jose. He wasn’t available for trade, but people still came to us, and we were OK with that, because you never know, someone may have an idea that you didn’t think of. But it just didn’t happen. I don’t see it happening.”
  • Frisaro also notes that the Marlins are hoping to add a free-agent starter that they can pay around $11MM in 2016. Miami could, of course, sign a pitcher to a contract with a larger annual value and backload the deal, though there are also pitchers on the market that figure to sign for an annual value in that range. Frisaro lists Ian Kennedy and Doug Fister as seemingly speculative fits, although Miami has previously been connected to Kennedy this offseason.

Outrighted: Rondon, Monell, Cunniff, Robertson

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In addition  to the large number of minor signings and waiver claims today, there have been quite a few outrights from around the league. Righty A.J. Achter has already been outrighted by the Angels, but here are the rest of the day’s outright assignments…

  • The Pirates have outrighted right-hander Jorge Rondon to Triple-A Indianapolis. While Rondon hadn’t been previously designated for assignment, the Buccos needed to clear a roster spot to make way for John Jaso and his new two-year contract, and Rondon was the 40-man casualty. Rondon carried a 2.23 ERA over 60 2/3 innings at Triple-A last year, with 7.4 K/9 against 2.8 BB/9. He was once rated among the top thirty prospects of the Cardinals, and has a track record of solid, if unspectacular, numbers in the minors.
  • The Mets have outrighted catcher Johnny Monell to Triple-A Las Vegas, according to ESPN New York’s Adam Rubin (Twitter link). Monell was designated for assignment last week when the team needed a roster spot for the recently re-signed Bartolo Colon. Monell, 30 next March, received his second taste of Major League action last season, collecting a career-high 52 plate appearances with New York. Prior to that, his lone experience in the big leagues was a brief eight-game stint with the 2013 Giants (nine plate appearances). In the Majors, Monell is a .161/230/.196 hitter across his small sample of 61 PAs, but he has a sound track record in the minors, where he’s put together a .279/.356/.455 batting line with 31 homers across 1012 PAs in Triple-A.
  • Right-hander Brandon Cunniff has been outrighted to Triple-A Gwinnett by the Braves after clearing waivers, according to a tweet from the team. A former 27th-round draft pick by the Marlins, Cunniff spent three seasons in the independent Frontier League following his brief minor league career with the Marlins. The Braves plucked him from the indy circuit in June of 2013, and he rather quickly rose through their ranks over the past two years. Cunniff posted a brilliant 2.02 ERA in Double-A and jumped directly to the Majors, where he posted a 4.63 ERA with a 37-to-22 K/BB ratio in 35 innings.
  • MLB.com’s Greg Johns tweets that outfielder Daniel Robertson has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A by the Mariners after being designated for assignment last week. Robertson lost his roster spot to the re-signed Hisashi Iwakuma but is clearly a player valued by GM Jerry Dipoto, who acquired him from Texas while serving as GM of the Angels and again picked him up from the Halos this winter after taking over the Mariners’ GM job. In 277 career plate appearances, Robertson is a .274/.324/.325 hitter. He also boasts a solid minor league track record and is capable of playing all three outfield positions, making him a valuable depth option for a big league team.

Minor MLB Transactions: 12/23/15

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We’ll track the day’s minor moves here:

  • Today’s Dodgers minor league additions include outfielders Alex Hassan and Rico Noel, the previously reported Lisalverto Bonilla, and righty Daniel Corcino, Eddy tweets. Hassan is an OBP specialist who bounced around quite a bit last year and has spent most of his time at the Triple-A level over the past several seasons. Noel, soon to turn 27, has big-time speed on the bases and cracked the Yankees’ roster late last year as a pinch runner. And the 25-year-old Corcino has at times looked like a reasonably promising young pitcher, but missed most of last year after Los Angeles claimed him off waivers from the Reds.
  • The Yankees have agreed to sign veteran righty Vinnie Pestano and catcher Sebastian Valle, Eddy adds on Twitter. Pestano, 30, has had some strong MLB campaigns in the past. But he only notched 11 2/3 big league frames last year with the Angels, though he’s posted impressive strikeout tallies at every level. Valle, a 25-year-old backstop from Mexico, spent most of his career in the Phillies organization before moving to the Pirates last year. He’s yet to reach the majors.
  • Joining the Mets on a minors deal is first baseman/outfielder Marc Krauss, per another Eddy tweet, along with pitchers Buddy Carlyle and Duane Below. Krauss has racked up 435 major league turns at the plate over the last three years, slashing .188/.255/.324. Carlyle, who just turned 38, has posted strong numbers in the upper minors and majors over the last several years.
  • The Padres have added pitchers Jose Dominguez and Carlos Pimentel on minor league deals, Eddy tweets. As Eddy notes, Dominguez has a live right arm while Pimentel was named the PCL’s pitcher of the year last season with the Cubs.

Earlier Updates

  • The Braves have added first baseman Nate Freiman on a minor league deal, Matt Eddy of Baseball America tweets. Recently released by the A’s, Freiman put up a meager .220/.279/.321 batting line last year at Triple-A but has shown more in recent years.
  • Heading to the Orioles on a minor league deal is outfielder Xavier Avery, Eddy also tweets. Avery, who’ll soon turn 26, spent time with three organizations last year at the Triple-A level and has yet to return to the majors since a 2012 debut in Baltimore.
  • Catcher Jhonatan Solano has signed a minor league deal with the Nationals that includes a major league camp invite, the club announced. Solano, 30, spent last year with the Marlins — his first season outside of the Washington organization. He’s never done much damage with the bat, but is a well-regarded receiver.
  • The Tigers also added several other players on MiLB pacts. In addition to making the Valdespin addition official, Detroit announced the signings of righties Logan Kensing, Melvin Mercedes, and Dustin Molleken as well as infielder Alberto Gonzalez and outfielder Nate Schierholtz. Mercedes and Molleken have spent the vast majority of their time in the minors, but the others all have ample big league experience. The 33-year-old Kensing allowed ten earned runs in 15 1/3 frames with the Mariners last year. Gonzalez, a seven-year MLB veteran, spent last year in the upper minors with the Detroit organization. And the 31-year-old Schierholtz failed to reach the majors last year after a string of eight seasons, playing instead for Japan’s Hiroshima Carp.
  • The Tigers have reached a minor league deal with infielder/outfielder Jordany Valdespin, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports on Twitter. Valdespin, who turns 28 today, does not receive an invitation to major league camp, per MLB.com’s Jason Beck (also via Twitter). The Dominican utilityman has seen MLB action in each of the last four seasons, but made it into only two games with the Marlins last year. He slashed .291/.378/.371 over 457 plate appearances at the Triple-A level in 2015.

Brewers Claim Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Josmil Pinto, Andy Wilkins

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2:46pm: Milwaukee has made the claim of Niewhenhuis official and also announced two other additions off the wire: backstop Josmil Pinto, from the Padres, and first baseman Andy Wilkins, from the Rangers.

Pinto has shown some real upside at the plate at times, but has gone through rougher times more recently. And he’s always been raw defensively. But he certainly makes sense as a depth piece with some upside in Milwaukee.

With yet another claim, Wilkins is making a strong bid for most-moved player of the winter: Milwaukee becomes his sixth organization in 2015. A lifetime .274/.324/.490 hitter at the Triple-A level, he could compete to fill the role of the traded Adam Lind.

1:17pm: The Brewers have claimed outfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis off waivers from the Mets, Jon Morosi of FOX Sports reports on Twitter.

Nieuwenhuis has never really gained traction in his four years in the majors. New York briefly lost him to the Angels last year, then re-claimed him and outrighted him, only to call him back up for some time later in the season. After adding fellow left-handed-hitting outfielder Alejandro De Aza, it seemed unlikely there would be a place for Nieuwenhuis in New York in 2016.

For Milwaukee, meanwhile, the 28-year-old represents a possible part of the team’s outfield mix. Nieuwenhuis has played center field and shown some pop at times, and it’s arguable he has a bit of upside left given his relatively young age.

Mets Sign Alejandro De Aza

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The Mets have been on the lookout for a left-handed complement to light-hitting Juan Lagres in center field, and on Wednesday they announced the addition of such a player, signing Alejandro De Aza to a one-year deal. The Magnus Sports client will reportedly take home a $5.75MM guarantee and can also earn up to $1.25MM worth of incentives that would cause his deal to max out at $7MM. De Aza reportedly will receive a $250K bonus for reaching 400 plate appearances and would earn an additional $250K for every 50 plate appearances from that point on, through 600 plate appearances.

Alejandro De Aza

De Aza, 32 in April, profiles as a decent platoon option for manager Terry Collins. His lifetime .274/.338/.418 line against righties is solid, if unspectacular, and will serve as a significant upgrade over Lagares’ .254/.286/.340 batting line in 986 career plate appearances versus right-handed pitching. His recent work against righties — a .278/.351/.448 slash line in 400 plate appearances this past season — was even more impressive than his career line. Conversely, Lagares’ .279/.325/.427 batting line against lefties is solid, particularly when paired with his standout defense. The two should form a cost-effective and solid platoon in center field, even if neither is necessarily overpowering when holding the platoon advantage.

Things are a bit less rosy when looking at the defensive component of De Aza’s game. While he’s been a competent, arguably slightly above-average defender in the corner outfield, his recent work in center field hasn’t been viewed favorably through the lens of DRS and UZR. Beyond that, De Aza hasn’t played center with any sort of regularity since 2013, when he posted a -18 DRS mark. His lack of recent experience in center field and poor marks in previous stints make him a somewhat questionable fit, but the market wasn’t flush with left-handed-hitting options that can handle center field.

Denard Span and Will Venable were also listed as options for the Mets, although the former is coming off hip surgery and the latter had a poor offensive showing in 2015. Span was said by ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick to be the Mets’ top choice, but he probably won’t sign until clubs get a chance to look at him in an early January showcase, and waiting for that date would’ve meant the Mets risking alternative options signing in the interim. Span also reportedly wants a three-year deal, and given his age and recent trio of surgical procedures (one on his hip and two core muscle/sports hernia operations), it’s understandable that a team would be apprehensive. Gerardo Parra was another oft-speculated fit, but he’s said to be seeking a four-year deal, and his glovework in center field has also drawn questionable reviews.

With De Aza in the fold, the Mets will be able to run out three productive left-handed bats in the outfield when the opposing team starts a right-hander, as he’ll be flanked by Michael Conforto in left and Curtis Granderson in right. However, with Granderson’s struggles against left-handed pitching, it might make sense for the Mets to add an additional corner outfield bat that swings from the right side in order to offer some additional production versus opposing lefties.

Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com first reported that the Mets had interest in De Aza. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports first reported the agreement was close (on Twitter). Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reported the agreement and that it was a one-year deal (links to Twitter). Rosenthal reported the financial terms (Twitter link). Ken Davidoff of the New York Post tweeted further details.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Rosenthal On Dodgers, Giants, Cardinals

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After discussing the Mets’ budget-conscious offseason spending thus far — and questioning the team’s choice of an apparently conservative route after a run to the World Series last year — Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports runs through a variety of notes from around the league. Here are some highlights:

  • Even as the Dodgers pursue Kenta Maeda, the team is continuing to show interest in Scott Kazmir, per Rosenthal — despite an already heavily left-handed rotation. And there is some sentiment among rival executives that L.A. could make a play for yet another southpaw, Wei-Yin Chen.
  • The Giants remain unlikely to play at the top of the free agent outfield market, according to the report, but might look at the next level down. Two names in play are Dexter Fowler and Gerardo Parra, with another possibility being the addition of a right-handed-hitting platoon partner for Gregor Blanco. San Francisco is also in communication with the Rockies on their outfielders, Rosenthal’s colleague Jon Morosi reports.
  • The Cardinals did not sign Mike Leake with intentions of spinning off another starter for outfield help, says Rosenthal. As he notes in another post, signing Leake — while allowing John Lackey to walk — came with some draft benefits, as the club didn’t have to sacrifice a pick to add the former and will gain a selection for losing the latter.

Free Agent Notes: Kazmir, Murphy, Span, Royals

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Now that the Cardinals have signed right-hander Mike Leake to a five-year deal, they’re out of the mix on lefty Scott Kazmir, tweets CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman. The Nationals, Orioles and Royals are among the clubs still looking at Kazmir, according to Heyman. A report from Monday indicated that the Athletics and Astros were also among the finalists for Kazmir, who reportedly has received three-year offers that come with annual rates in the $12-13MM range. However, Kazmir’s hope is said to be a four-year contract. Earlier tonight, Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun wrote that he didn’t foresee the O’s going four years on Kazmir (or any other free-agent starter, for that matter).

A few more notes on what is still a very deep class of free agents…

  • Daniel Murphy hasn’t been aggressive in seeking new opportunities for much of the offseason, reports Mike Puma of the New York Post, as he maintained hope that he would return to the Mets right up until their acquisition of Neil Walker from the Pirates. The Mets, according to Puma, were clear in telling Murphy that they intended to go in another direction this offseason, but Murphy sought more than the one- to two-year offers with which the Mets were comfortable and seems to have been hoping that an increased offer from the Mets would materialize.
  • Agent Scott Boras has been seeking a three-year deal for client Denard Span, industry sources tell Puma in a second column. The Mets had genuine interest in Span, according to Puma, but they weren’t keen on committing to a center field partner for Juan Lagares beyond the 2016 season. Beyond that, the Mets didn’t want to wait for Span’s January showcase before moving to add a left-handed bat, as doing so would’ve meant risking their alternative options signing elsewhere in the interim.
  • Royals GM Dayton Moore wouldn’t comment to MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan when asked about negotiations with Alex Gordon — specifically, Jim Bowden’s previous report at ESPN that the Royals are offering $12-13MM per year on a four-year deal — or extension talks with catcher Salvador Perez. Moore did, however, openly voice his desire to add a corner outfielder and another starting pitcher. “We feel we have quality depth in the outfield, but we have a desire for an experienced corner outfielder. And we would like another quality starting pitcher,” said Moore. Per Flanagan, the Royals hope to have seven or eight players that are viable rotation options on the roster to open the season. At present, Kansas City has Yordano Ventura, Edinson Volquez, Danny Duffy, Chris Young and Kris Medlen as options, plus lefty Jason Vargas recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Mets Eyeing Span, Venable, De Aza In Search For Outfield Bat

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The Mets are known to be interested in adding a left-handed bat that can at the very least serve as a platoon partner for right-handed-hitting Juan Lagares, and ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick reports that they’re interested in Denard Span, Will Venable and Alejandro De Aza to fill that void. Span has been connected to the Mets multiple times in the past, and the reportedly plans to meet with his camp in January. Venable and De Aza, however, have not been connected to the Mets beyond speculation, to this point. (De Aza, in fact, has scarcely been mentioned on the rumor circuit in connection to any club this winter.)

Crasnick hears that Span is the “preferred choice,” but questions about his health and agent Scott Boras’ stated desire to land a multi-year deal for his client are complicating that picture right now. Newsday’s Marc Carig did report fairly recently that the Mets aren’t closed off to the idea of giving Span multiple years, though I’d imagine they’ll need to see him prove his health in next month’s showcase for that scenario to play out. Span missed much of the season with lingering issues from sports hernia/core muscle surgery last offseason and ended up having hip surgery this offseason as well.

When healthy, Span has proven to be a quality player on both sides of the ball. Over the past four seasons (one in Minnesota and three in D.C.), Span has batted a combined .290/.344/.402, averaging six homers and 27 steals per 162 games played. Of course, a concussion back in 2012 and this past season’s injuries have limited him to an average of 122 games per season in that time. Defensive metrics have traditionally been bullish on Span, though his UZR and DRS grades this season dipped significantly as he battled through injuries over the course of the season. It strikes me as unlikely that Span would be on board with a straight platoon; though his numbers are better against right-handed pitching, he’s still posted a respectable .274/.351/.364 batting line against lefties in his career (though he’s struggled against them a bit more in 2013 and 2015).

Venable and De Aza, on the other hand, are more familiar with platoon work. Venable is a career .256/.324/.422 hitter against righties and has had his bottom-line numbers suppressed, somewhat, by calling Petco Park his home stadium for nearly all of his career. (Of course, New York’s Citi Field isn’t exactly a hitters’ paradise in its own right.) Venable has drawn positive marks in center over the course of his career, though he’ll play next season at age 33 and isn’t a premium defender in the first place, so something like league-average or even slightly below-average defensive work is probably a more realistic expectation than plus glovework.

De Aza, 32 in April, is a somewhat similar tale. His lifetime .274/.338/.418 line against righties is solid, if unspectacular, and his recent work in center field hasn’t been viewed favorably through the lens of DRS and UZR. (He also hasn’t played center with any sort of regularity since 2013, when he posted a -18 DRS mark.) De Aza, though, was more productive at the plate in 2015 than Venable, hitting .278/.351/.448 against right-handed pitching. I’d imagine that either Venable or De Aza could be had on a one-year deal or perhaps a two-year deal with a lower annual value — something like $10-13MM in total, as we’ve seen from Rajai Davis, Nate McLouth, David Murphy and, most recently, Chris B. Young.

It’s also worth noting that Crasnick gets the sense (Twitter link) that the Mets aren’t particularly enamored with Gerardo Parra. New York may believe that Parra’s defense has slipped in recent years, per Crasnick, and he’s also seeking a multi-year deal worth more than the Mets are comfortable paying. Parra, reportedly, has received three-year offers and is hoping a club will push to a fourth guaranteed season on a deal. If that’s the case, it does seem more likely that it’d come from a club that planned on utilizing him in an outfield corner as opposed to in center field.

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