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At his blog for ESPN.com, Buster Olney provides a listing of ‘10 free agents with good value.’
Topping out Olney’s list is free agent 1B Tony Clark, who, as Olney notes, had the third best home-run per plate-appearance ratio (14.4) after Alex Rodriguez (13.1) and Ramon Castro (14.3) last season.
According to Olney, Clark would be a good fit as bench player for the Mets, due to his high slugging percentage as a pinch hitter last season.
…i’m a huge proponent of having quality bench, especially in the National League, where players are used a lot more often…that being said, i just don’t see clark as a fit for the Mets…
…clark didn’t fair well here in his first go-around in 2003…and, although in recent years he has been a successful slugging left-handed bat off the bench, i’d much rather have players like Marlon Anderson and Endy Chavez than an older, declining slugger like clark…to me, a more intriguing choice for the Mets bench from olney’s list would be 1B/3B Mike Lamb…
SS David Eckstein, RHP Matt Clement, LHP Jeremey Affeldt, LHP David Wells and RHP Kris Benson also make Olney’s list.
…added to by Matthew Cerrone…
…one thing i always forget is that there are not an infinite number of roster spots…i tend to rattle off names, thinking, ‘oooh, i like that player, let’s get that guy,’ and i forget that to do so, the team will most likely need to make a roster move…so, as much as i am intrigued by a guy like clark, i often forget that there may be no room for him…
Bring back Benson. He’s due for 12 wins and his wife’s a hoot!
(Hooter)
How about a total youth movement:
Reyes SS
Gomez LF
Wright 3B
Beltran CF
Milledge RF
Carp 1B
Gotay 2B
Castro C
Maine, Perez, Pelfrey, Humber, Mulvey……
Could be the same team for years…..
We’d give the Marlins and Nats a run for their money with that lineup.
Marlins won 2 WS Rings doing just that. Youth movement that built into a solid team.
beckett, penny, burnett…..on their worst day those guys were all better than pelfrey humber and mulvey.
wow check your history books.
the 1997 Marlins lineup was littered with high price vets.
Sheff
Alou (yes he was old then too lol)
Bonilla
Jeff Conine
Devon White
Darren Daulton
Al Leiter
Kevin Brown
Dennis Cook
Robb Nen
the 2003 team was really only I-rod as far as pricy FAs go, but they did liquidate all their young talent right after
Pavano, D Lee, Looper, Urbina
Beckett and Lowell weren’t dealt until the following year when their contracts were up/expiring.
The real Marlin formula is to be young and cheap for several years and then blow out the payroll for one championship season and then immediately rip that team to shreds.
The point is, they were all very young starters. They were given a chance. I am not suggesting that the team I described would win this year. Beckett, Penny and Burnett were given the chance to blossom into the talent that they are today, partly due to the fact that they were thrown to the fire at a young age. I am sick and tired of calling a 25 year old pitcher on the Mets as “young prospect.” When Beckett, Penny, WIllis, and Burnett were very young, they started. How do we know if we don’t have a Beckett in Pelfrey, Mulvey, or Humber? I don’t think that Pelfreiy is, he was already given the chance. But at some point, we just need to pull a Reyes/Wright and start them young and let them grow. Dealing full well with a few failures. We keep signing aging, latin, superstarts that die in August.
very few of the guys that you listed above were over the age of 32 at the time. Not much either in the mega FA either. My point was only that we don’t need Saint AROD or Father Santana to win and we may have some great players if you give them a chance.
Well there I agree with you!
As much as I would love Johan, I agree he’s not essential. Sorry for the snide tone, just one of those days.
no problem. Hot stove talk is both exciting and aggrevating…….still one of my favorite times of the year…
Gomez batting second would be a disaster. Imagine him being patient and taking pitches for Reyes to steal? He’s not the kind of hitter who excels hitting from behind in the count (not yet anyway). Scouting would be simple, get to 0-2 and just throw him anything in the dirt and it’s strike 3.
switch gotay and gomez then. It is just interesting to think that we do currently have some talent that could blossom into something, given the chance.
Glad I was able to spark some conversation. I love to stir the pot………..Mulvey will someday be an ace……..Gomez will be great when he fills out.
I wouldn’t mind Clement and Affeldt on the Mets roster next year.
I liked Clark, my self, but that was then. He doesn’t really fit a need. Isn’t Kris Benson now divorced? As hot as Anna was she was more of a pain in the butt than anything, and I suspect one of the big reasons that Kris was traded in the first place. He’s not a bad pitcher, but there are others would could eat more innings.
Yeah, Tony’s gettin’ a long in the tooth. Shades of J Franco.
But Anna dressed as Santa Claus changed my whole outlook about peace on earth and good will towards men.
I think I’d rather have Tony Clark at first than Delgado.
And is Mike Lamb really looking to sign somewhere to be a bench player?
I like Lamb as well, but he’s used to a bigger role and more importantly, he’s another lefty. If he hit from the right side, he’d be perfect.
The Mets bench is pretty set, no?
Easley is the RH pinch hitter
Anderson is the LH pinch hitter
Gotay is the next option/utility infielder
Chavez is the 4th OF
that leaves a backup catcher and 7 bullpen arms
add that to 5 SPs and 8 everyday players and you have the 25 man roster.
Maybe they go with 4 starters or only 6 relievers early in the year depending on the sched. that opens one more spot, but that likely be an organizational player like a Carlos Gomez instead of a FA signing.
Has Endy been re-signed yet?
no
No, but he’s not a FA, the Mets will surely tender him or offer him arbitration.
As far as bullpen additions, Three targets the Mets should consider, Affeldt or Fuentes from Colorado (as a second LHR) and Kerry Wood (as backup in case Dirty Sanchez can’t make it, and it could make Heilman expendable if Wood looks good in ST).
What is so special about Kerry Wood? His arm would fall off the first week of the season. He is done!
He did fine out of the bullpen last year for the Cubs.
I have to stop coming to this site. This off season is depressing me.
Don’t worry, it’s about to get very exciting. Johan Santana will be a Met by Thanksgiving. You heard it here first.
That is crazier than your slide at home!
Yeah, I caught Posada napping on that one, haha!
But trust me on the Santana news. It’s going to happen.
If we get Johan, without losing our core group of guys that’ll be awesome~!!!
Johan
Pedro
Perez
Maine
El Duque
That’s not that bad
is omar going for dinner?
I think Matt Clement would be a great signing for this team. I understand it was a few years ago, but what do they have to lose by taking a one year flyer on a guy that dominated the AL for a season?
I say go for him, on the pretty cheap. If it blows up in your face, it can’t be any worse than Mota. Could pan out to be our ace. Got great stuff.
thinking about the bench, there is a bit of a void. Unless Marlong is the back up 1B (and will get some starts), you don’t really have someone to replace Delgado.
Last year, at least with Green you had someone that covered 2 spots. Actually, jason Phillops came in real handy, being a C/1B.
And again, Reyes and Wright will be playing every inning, except for the rare time that Gotay could shift over to the left side.
So, a more versatile 4th OF would come in handy, but you would lose Chavez as the caddy for Alou.
The 7 man pen really puts a sueeze on the bench. And given how little Sele pitched last year, with Willie it wasn’t a very good idea.
So if they go with a 6 man pen, they can carry an extra Inf or Of/1B guy
Is Sweeney around?
True Stickguy, I wasn’t saying I agree with a 7 man pen, but lets just Willie is VERY predictable. I would be shocked if he ditches the 7 man pen next year.
How is Chavez not a versatile 4th OF? He can play all 3 positions well, and he adds speed and a decent bat.
I think Stick meant a guy that can play IF and OF positions.
Like Marlon Anderson?
Anyone notice the note at the end of the article that said that Glavine has begun to negotiate with Braves?
Good luck Tommy. It was nice having you, but I won’t miss you.
i think a curious, outside the box poll question that i really want to see people’s thoughts on would be “will mets offer glavine arbitration”. in my opinion itd be disgraceful if they did not.
I was asking about that yesterday. If Omar lets the Braves walk without giving up their first round pick, it is an absolute disgrace.
If he signs early, the Mets get the pick anyway.
If I see David Eckstein mentioned one more time on this site I’m gonna start throwing feces around the neighborhood. He sucks. As a shortstop. As a second baseman. As a bench player. He’s not good at baseball.
Amen Slob!
It’s not that Eckstein stinks, I mean he’s a shade below avg. But the fact he is considered “a Winner” and “a clutch player” is laughable. Clearly one of the most overrated players ever, no suprise though, as he’s a cute cuddly little lily white teddy bear
AWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOW CUTE!!!!!!!!!!
the guy wins everywhere he goes!
So does Reggie Sanders (OK, except in KC). Should we get him too?
Luis Sojo has how many rings? Was there ever any point in his playing days where you wanted him on the Mets?
But he’s gritty, and he gets his uniform dirty, and he like bares his teeth and growls at the other players as he rounds the bases, and he “knows how to to play the game.”
Oh, yeah, and he is not very good at actually playing the game of baseball.
I really like Mike Lamb. Solid hitter, would be great to come off the bench and spell Delgado.