Matthew Cerrone

Buzz: Mets to Offer 3, Maybe 5, for Yorvit
By Matthew Cerrone - Nov 15, 2007 7:15 am

According to Adam Rubin in the Daily News, citing ‘an executive from a rival suitor,’ while the Mets are willing to ‘at least guarantee’ three years at $5 million per season for free-agent Yorvit Torrealba, the offer ‘could cover 2011 and possibly have some provision for 2012.’

…oh, my…i mean, i thought three years was excessive…now we’re being told there is a chance it could be a five-year deal, which i assume must be a series of incentives and options…i like torrealba, i do, but to put this in perspective, if he actually does get a five-year deal, that’s two years less than had been given to Mike Piazza, and one year more than Jorge Posada…i mean, it just makes no sense…frankly, at this point, i’m going to reserve judgment of this until it actually becomes official…because, as of now, i’m only reacting emotionally to a media report, not minaya’s actual actions and that’s not fair…but, wow, this is looking very, very odd

Meanwhile, in Newsday, citing ‘a National League official,’ David Lennon and Ken Davidoff write that Torrealba has been offered a three-year contract from both the Mets and Marlins.

Last night in the Rocky Mountain News, Tracy Ringolsby wrote…

“The interested teams are all pressuring for a decision on their offers by the end of the week.”

According to Ringolsby, Torrealba’s agent said his client will likely make a final decision on Thursday.

…as i wrote last night, at this point, i think the tea leaves are pretty easy to read…he can essentially take $1 million or so more per year to play in the biggest city in the world, with a successful team, but split time with Ramon Castro…or, he can take a bit less money, and either play for the last-place Marlins, or remain in Colorado, and be the every-day catcher…or, if the Mets really want him that badly, they can tack on the rumored and desired third year, if not more, which i really hope they do not do…

…unless, the Mets look at it like, ‘we lock in yorvit long-term, castro is here for just two, if after castro leaves we can sign a new starting catcher, and yorvit can simply slide back to being a back up.’…

By the way, Rubin continues on to explain further details about the negotiations between Castro, the Mets and Torrealba, and how Jorge Posada factored in.

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38 Comments »

Comment by dwright5jreyes7
2007-11-15 07:20:11

what the heck? what do the really see in him for a potential of FIVE YEARS? theres nothing wrong with a 2 maybe 3 yr deal but why five yrs? hes a league average catcher if that…

Comment by mikey_FF
2007-11-15 08:02:20

Seriously … 5 years? This is a joke. I mean, I can live with the guy for 2 … maybe he becomes a better player … but now we’re talking 5 years? For what? What has he done to earn a 5 year contract? I don’t get it.

All the talk is about how the Mets didn’t want to go all out for A-Rod because the pitching really needs to be addressed. Now they are going to turn around and talk about possibly giving a 5 year contract to Yorvit Torrealba, who can’t pitch, and who has not shown to be anything special to this point.

Can someone tell me what I’m missing here?

Comment by JefJarrett
2007-11-15 08:06:35

Torrealba only costs 3-5million/year and does not prevent future acquisitions because of $ issues…..and we happen to need a catcher…..

A-Rod would cost 25-30 million/year and we already happen to have a 3rd baseman, a SS, a 1st Baseman - and your current 3rd baseman has said he can’t play 2nd base…….

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Comment by mikey_FF
2007-11-15 08:26:31

I’m not comparing him to A-Rod … come on. Lets be real. I’m asking why Torrealba deserves a 5 year contract.

Why has Torrealba done to command a 5 year contract?

 
Comment by mikey_FF
2007-11-15 08:28:03

*What has Torreabla done to command a 5 year contract.

I know the grammar police will jump all over that one :)

 
 
Comment by rd
2007-11-15 08:27:43

Can someone remind Omar that Paul Loduca is a free agent and will take the same money while much more productive?

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Comment by ChodeMcPherson
2007-11-15 07:39:42

This all pure speculation on my part, but the Marlins want Torrealba too, right? What if the Mets and LoDuca have a secret deal that makes it look like they’re not going to sign him, while all parties know that they actually WILL resign him. At the same time, they sign Torrealba in an attempt to trade to the Fish for Dontrelle (involving other players too, of course). They trade for Dontrelle, and immediately resign LoDuca. Obviously it would be a very risky move (in that the Marlins may not go for the trade and the Mets would either have an extra catcher or they’d have to screw over Paulie), and more obviously it’s not very realistic. But I love speculating on off-season moves.

Comment by Magooley
2007-11-15 09:11:07

Huh??

 
 
Comment by Danny
2007-11-15 08:07:20

3 years would be fiscal insanity.

5 years, even with options for 2 of them, should be cause for the immediate dismissal of Minaya.

And I like Minaya.

Comment by yagottabelieve
2007-11-15 10:37:50

I think everyone is reading way too much into this…

What if year 4 and 5 only kick in if he gets to 450 AB in the previous season? What would be wrong with that — he’d only gets those extra years if he develops into an elite catcher who’s still starting in year three.

I don’t see Omar being crazy enough to offer a guaranteed 5 year deal.

 
 
Comment by gowrightgo
2007-11-15 08:34:33

No chance it is a 5 yr deal. I mean absolutely zero chance. give Minaya some credit for gods sake.

he would not give 5 years to Wright or Reyes locking them out of arbitration. Absolutely zero chance Torrealba gets a 5 yr deal

Comment by VCarver
2007-11-15 08:42:33

Huh? Wright got a 6-year deal from the Mets.

 
Comment by coldentoshea76
2007-11-15 08:45:22

I agree- there’s just no chance that this is a guaranteed five years- everyone freaking out accusing Omar of doing something stupid that he hasn’t actually done yet need to calm down.

If he wants more than two or possibly three (which is stretching it) guaranteed years, he’s going somewhere else. If a contract involves anything past that, it would be in the form of team options with low buyouts or years that vest with stats that would make it clear that we would want him back anyway (starting 130+ games, huge offensive numbers, etc.).

 
 
Comment by VCarver
2007-11-15 08:40:11

It really depends on whether or not the 2 additional years are team options with SMALL buyouts. If so, not a major problem. But if there are large buyouts involved, or they are guaranteed years or incentive or player options then that’s a problem.

In light of their making Posada their #1 target this winter and not protecting Flores last year I’m not too confident in their ability to assess and fill the Mets catching needs, short term or long term.

Comment by mikey_FF
2007-11-15 08:47:35

I agree … you keep mentioning the Flores thing and it really is a shame. No one’s saying he is the greatest catcher out there but they lost a guy who they could have used. Now they have to go out and possibly pay out a 3-5 year contract to a guy who isn’t anything special.

Comment by VCarver
2007-11-15 10:34:32

Does anyone know exactly how the 40-man roster works?

Specifically, can they take guys “like” Smith off of it simply to protect a good prospect and then after the Rule V is over, take the prospect off the 40-man and put Smith back on?

I’m just wondering how the heck they didn’t protect a catcher who had 21 HRs and 60+ RBIs in high A ball? Even if they didn’t think anyone would bite, don’t you think they should make pretty damn sure given the paucity of catching prospects in the organization? I highly doubt this is the first time a team plucked a prospect from high A and kept him on their major league roster all year. If roster maneuvers such as the one I suggested above are allowable, then there really is no excuse for their failure to protect Flores. None.

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Comment by genius
2007-11-15 08:48:12

mets management = CLOWNS

 
Comment by stickguy
2007-11-15 08:53:34

5 years? If that is true, just go ahead and fire Omar now.

Unless he wants to lock up a back up catcher well into his mid-30s for starter money.

This is not a good thing. 3 years I can understand. 5 years would have been A Rod territory!

Unless year 4 and 5 are team options with cheap buy outs?

 
Comment by Juuu know what I'm Sayin?
2007-11-15 09:07:15

2 years would have been OK with me. 3 years at $15 million is too much. 5 years? Agree with a bunch of you that said this already, 5 years should mean the termination of Omar Minaya.

 
Comment by wapitten
2007-11-15 09:09:48

Supply and demand is about the only logical reason behind this. With Posada off the table, there’s not much left and the free agent catchers with any value are going to get overpaid for their services.

What scares me is that the guy played for Colorado and still only hit .255.

In Colorado his numbers were .296 .353 .424 .777.
Away he was an ugly .212 .292 .326 .618.

In 2007, he was 2 for 7 at Shea with a double. Considering Shea is typically considered a pitcher’s park, we shouldn’t expect much from Torrealba offensively. So he better be exceptional at calling a game!

 
Comment by boredatwork
2007-11-15 09:35:18

Bottom Line….Yorvit is barely an decent catcher. His numbers show it and coming from a ballpark that’s hitter friendly…i cant stand this move…if it happens….

Comment by m00kie
2007-11-15 09:53:39

you’re confused. his numbers show he is barely a decent hitter. catching is a really tough thing to judge from numbers.

Comment by metsjam
2007-11-15 13:28:46

From what I can tell from the stats he misses being a “barely decent hitter” by a mile and a half. He pretty much stinks and has always stunk. No BA, No power, No OBP. He’s essentially Mike Difelice. If the Mets are serious about this, it makes me seriously question their judgement.

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Comment by procrastimetor
2007-11-15 09:49:39

I used to live in SF and went to and watched a lot of games when he was the back up for Benito Santiago/ AJ Perzinski with the giants a few years ago and there just a lot of thing about the way he plays the game that are just very likable, almost in a Luis Castillo sort of way.

During the Giants NL pennant season in 2002 and in 2003, in limited playing time he was just super clutch, and there where times that it was perplexing why he wasn’t starting over Benito Santiago (and later AJ Perzinski). At the time, he is one of those players that (like endy is now) announcers would repeat ad nausem that he would be a starter on most teams.

I think he is more of a complete player then castro, and once you see him play for a while you will be happy that he is on the Mets.

PS. It’s also fun to hear his name being announced on the PA.

Comment by zod
2007-11-15 09:53:23

By “complete” do you mean that he has better plate discipline or hits for more power or strikes out less or has more gap power or takes more walks or has longer ABs or hits for a higher average or is dominant at throwing out runners?

Because he doesn’t do any of that. There is no facet of his game that is very good. Maybe grit. Maybe he has a lot of grit. Let’s not sign a player for 3 years on grit.

Comment by VCarver
2007-11-15 10:37:16

Maybe he means things like motivation, desire, intensity, and clutchness which I think definitely exists. Those are intangibles t