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On February 14, Mets pitchers and catchers will be reporting to Port St. Lucie for the start of spring training.
Currently, the Mets have invited 22 non-roster invitees to camp this spring.
Among the invitees of note are: IF Michel Abreu, RHP Tony Armas, RHP Eddie Kunz, OF Fernando Martinez, C Mike Nickeas, RHP Juan Padilla, RHP Brant Rustich, IF Fernando Tatis, and IF Jose Valentin.
For a full listing of the non-roster invitees, check out Mets.com.
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Looking forward to seeing Fernando Martinez. I hope he will be starting everyday in 2009 even tho he will only be 20.
Fernando Tatis?? I thought he was dead or something. Why waste everyone’s time. He isn’t worth the laundry bill he will cause.
Don’t forget about big Nelson Figueroa. I think he was out of baseball all of last year, but he just tore up the Caribbean World Series, being named the MVP for team Mexico. I know there’s a clear difference between the major leagues and the Caribbean Series as Anderson Hernandez shows us every year, but it’s another arm to compete in camp. Here are a few more non-roster invitees to look out for: Joselo Diaz who also pitched very well for the Dominican squad, Nate Field who pitched out of the Marlins pen last year and of course how could I forget Mr. Retread Ricardo Rincon.
Seriously, what is with all the Fernando Tatis hate? He had an .844OPS at AAA last year. He’s fine in that capacity. 95% of the guys invited to ST never make the roster, and accept the invitation knowing their chances are slim.
Honestly, if we want to know what a guy like Rustich has, do you want him facing guys from our A and AA levels every SS game? Wouldn’t you rather have him pitch to a guy like Tatis, who can handle AAAA pitching?
Seriously, some of the people on this forum seem to lack any understanding of how a major league franchise runs, top to bottom.
Tatis is still trying? Just give it up already dude. That 2 GS imming was a long time ago 9although I still appreciate him doing it while he was on my fantasy team).
The 2 most intriquing names (maybe biggest wildcards) are Armas, and Abreu.
Armas, if Peterson makes a fix and he finally lives up to his talent, would be a huge find, and potentially useful in 2009.
And Abreu, after all this time, who knows what to expect? But imagine if he is for real, and gets his timing back and starts mashing in AAA. Might be a little old, but could be come the 1B of the future (the future beginning in 2009?)
Probably not, but if you want someone that could come out of nowhere, he is the guy.
Armas Jr. will fill the void created by Dave Williams. When someone gets scratched, call him up. Then send him back down.
Abreu is actually older than they have him listed. He was born some time in 1975 making him 32-33. Not exactly a prospect anymore. Hopefully he does well and could provide some insurance for Delgado.
I’m hoping Mike Carp can bounce back and force his way into AAA – the likelihood of a 22 year old breaking out is somewhat higher than someone 10 years his elder.
agreed. I just had it in my mind that Abreu was in the 28-29 range. 33 is pretty old to hope for much, but he could still have a shot as a bench player.
I think Tatis was actually cited as being a great mentor around the few prospects we actually have in AAA.
Plus with so few high-level prospects, nothing wrong with continuing the Omar-era tradition of stocking New Orleans with major-league vets who can step in when need be…see Alomar Jr, DiFelice, Offerman, Gerald Williams, Tatis….
Yeah Tatis, give it up. You are 33 years old and could be making a hell of a lot less money doing something behind a desk like the rest of us, instead of playing baseball in Florida, then at worst in New Orleans.
Also, I think that Jose Valentin is a better back-up option than Ruben Gotay, he can provide more pop from the left side and better defense, he can also play the corner outfield positions. I’m interested to see how he does in spring training. I hope he makes the team.
Just depends on if you think that Gotay can play SS. If he can then he has to make the team, if not uh I guess Easely or Valentin would?
Valentin can play shortstop, I like Gotay but his defense is weak and he cannot hit from the right side of the plate. Valentin really helped Reyes blossom in 2006, it would be a good thing for Reyes if Valentin was on the team again. Gotay can play second base or shortstop in AAA ball.
I am not sure that Valentin’s bulky knees can play SS. He has not started a game there since 2004. He does have plenty of experience there. IF he is healthy he would provide more depth as he has played many other positions than Gotay and Gotay still has options I believe. I think Jose said that he did not think he would be ready in time, right?
I really don’t know that we have a viable backup SS if Valentin can’t play the position. The prospects of Easley or Gotay trying to play there are not comforting. Definitely a hole if Jose gets hurt or needs a day off.
Again, Gotay played 5 games there last year without an error. Easley’s and Valentin’s age and knee injuries make them highly questionable as IF backups other than firstbase. Only thing ever said about Gotay’s defense is that he had problems turning the doubleplay. Nothing about his glove or his range. He is more than capable to give Reyes a day off when needed. I do agree however that a viable shortstop will be needed if Reyes ever went down for a significant amount of time.
Errors. . . Come on. No one said he was a catcher.
hopefully, they’ll let f-mart develop instead of rushing him to the majors like pelfrey and gomez.
I’m sure the goal is to let him hang around the big-leaguers for a bit and send him back to minor-league camp shortly after the games start…
keep an eye on rustich…looked real good when i saw him pitch for the cylones last summer. big dude.
Just about to say the same thing about Rustich. He is only 23 and is being moved as a reliever. He had dominant numbers last year and I would not be surprised to see him take a Joe Smith track and be here sometime this season.
Others on there to look at. Of course if recovered Padilla was great for us back in 05.
Andy Cavazos had decent numbers for AAA Memphis but was roughed up in limited action in the majors.
Rustich regressed to his college days control-wise over the winter.
Hopefully it was just an aberration.
Salomon Manriquez is a 26 year old catcher who hit .275 with 16 HR for Texas last year in AA.
Anyone know if Abreu has played any OF before? He did not for us but we did not get him until 2006 and he had been around before that.
Well, assuming he isn’t a terrible defensive guy, that instantly makes Manriquez our top catching prospect!
By the way, interesting side note. Baseball reference states that Abreu was actually born in 1975 instead of 1979 making him already 33 this season. He can not be counted on as the future but maybe a backup for Delgado, especially if he could play RF and continue to hit LH well.
Is it normal to invite so many Catchers? Maybe they need that many because of the number of pitchers invited.
Being a catcher in the high end of a system is almost a shoe in for an invite to camp because you need catchers to help all the pitchers work out because there are typically so many pitchers in camp.
Additionally, the Mets have NO catching prospects older than Pena, so they need guys to hold down the position in AAA. Better to have veterans to help mentor the pitchers and be ready to step in a la DiFelice and Alomar last season…
I wouldn’t mind seeing another minor league contract given out to another AQrmas sort. Did Odalis Perez sign a deal yet?
Odalis Perez is still a free agent, the last I read on him was that the Phillies were giving him a look, but I’ve also read that about Kris Benson. I hope the Phillies sign Benson, how fun would it be pounding him all year? Here’s the rest of the starting pitchers that are still available on the open market, B.Colon, J.Fogg, F.Garcia, B.Kim, K. Lohse, R. Lopez, T. Ohka, R. Ortiz, J. Weaver and I think D. Wells if you can even count him.
Fog or Oka might be a good look as well as Odalis as long as they are willing to take the minro league deal. Colon might have to take one as well judging from scouting reports. Any of these guys would wbe worth the minorL deal and an invite to camp. Gives us a little more injury insurance as well
What about Dylan Owen (I think that is his name)? I remember a post on here about him and then I checked his numbers. They were pretty good if I remember correctly. Anyone know anything about him?
Could well be one for the future, but he’s well short of major-league-ready – he’s only 21 and was pitching in low A last year
I actually meant to post this on the top thread about our prospects, but thanks for the update on him. I think he could be someone to watch.
Solid-average stuff with a great feel for pitching. Fastball sits 87-90 and can touch 92. Tight slider and a looping curve, both solid-average pitches. He has great command, excellent makeup and is full of moxie. If he shows this year that he can get advanced hitters out, he’ll open some eyes outside the organization.
See this is what kills me. What a complete waste of everyone’s time. Fernando Tatis has ZERO chance of making this team and everyone who follows this stuff knows that. What’s the best case scenario? That he hits about .380 or something with 4 homeruns, but because he’s Fernando Tatis it all comes in 8th inning-type situations against AA pitchers. And even that – as much as it might generate a little discussion on message boards and in the Ed Coleman report, will still get him cut when they make final roster movements in late March.
So based on that, what possible reason can there be to invite someone like him to Spring Training?
nobody expects tatis to be on the ny mets this year. he is getting rewarded for playing at triple a. the mets carry a veteran roster at new orleans with some kids, particulary pitchers sprinkled in.
not to mention if wright gets hurt, missing a couple of months, the mets have no 3b’s in the system or on the bench to take his place long-term.
Yeah, it doesn’t seem like the guys in the system are anywheres near a shot at being called up, even for limited duty, but they do have a couple of intriquing 3B prospects. Not that they will ever play on the Mets (knock wood) unless they change positions!
And smart 3B or SS prospects would bring a 1B or OF glove to camp too.
Split squad games.
Because the spring training roster needs to be filled out. Would you rather invite a journeyman form the International Leagues who has no shot of even making it at AAA, or a guy like Tatis who will play competently for New Orleans? Every organization needs depth guys, and that’s exactly what Tatis is.
I really wonder what would happen if, God forbid, DW went out for 6 weeks, and they just gave the job to Tatis (I assume he is still a 3B). Any chance he might actually be adaquate with regular duty? He hits pretty good in AAA!
He has a lifetime .784OPS at the ML level. That’s below average, but it wouldn’t kill us.
Valentin and Easley can also play 3B.
What about Carp, is he not coming to spring training?
I’m hoping to see Eddie Kunz make the team for no other reason but to see the Post’s headlines should he do well or fail.
After Damion Easely got hurt and before Jeff Conine was acquired there was talk of promoting either Tatis or Chip Ambres as a righty bat off the bench. In retrospect they might have been better off since Conine did nothing in his time here.
Yeah, I was on the Ambres bandwagon back then. For all Conine (didn’t) do, they could have saved the prospects and used one of these dudes.
Me, too. Nothing against Gotay, but Valentin, if healthy, can be versatile and also a good clubhouse presence on the team.
i think that fernando martinez should start his season at aa but he should get promoted to aaa if he does good for half a season and should not reach majors this year.
I agree. Plus, I’d like to go see him in Binghamton. I’m def not driving down to New Orleans.
Hopefully next year that will all change and the AAA team will be in Syracuse!!!!! Binghampton to Syracuse is a 1 hr drive