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The Mets plan on targeting free-agent pitchers Derek Lowe and Brian Fuentes this off-season, reports Joel Sherman in the New York Post.
Additionally, according to Sherman, citing one ‘NL executive,’ “The Mets are promising to be creative and explore many avenues.”
Last week, according to FOXSports.com, teammates of RHP Derek Lowe have said he has ‘little interest’ in playing for the Mets or Yankees, adding, “Some rival clubs believe that Lowe wants to stay on the west coast.”
However, a few days ago in the Boston Globe, Nick Cafardo wrote that Lowe’s preferred destination is the Red Sox, which, if you didn’t know, is located on the East Coast.
In 34 starts with the Dodgers this season, Lowe, who has 85 career saves, was 14-11 with a 3.24 ERA.
Meanwhile, according to a report by Ken 
Rosenthal, Fuentes will likely seek a three-year, $38 million deal, similar to what Brad Lidge received from the Phillies.
In 67 appearances for the Rockies in 2008, Fuentes had 30 saves in 34 opportunities with a 2.71 ERA in 62 innings pitched.
By the way, Sherman also looks back at how the Red Sox and Yankees let Carlos Pena go in 2006, leaving them to consider spending $100 million just two years later on Mark Teixeira.
Lowe would be the wisest signing, if you can convince him the Mets are where he wants to be. Fuentes on the other hand…not bad but for the money other options might be available.
I agree — Fuentes is the type of arm I want but I think you can find the same type of pitchers who have not earned the somewhat meaningless save statistic yet. That is, I wouldn’t want Fuentes closing anyway. I would do whatever we can to get Carlos Marmol and surround him with potential closers to set up.
We also can take Soriano’s bad contract off their hands (6 yrs/106mil) and have our LFer. The Cubs can use that money to sign Manny like they want to for 4 yrs/100. I wouldn’t include F-Mart in this package, but anyone else can go to get Marmol closing — we have a closer and LFer right there without signing a FA yet.
Also, if Marmol struggles as a closer he is still the best setup man in the business and that’s an important position too. I really do think just taking on Sori’s contract is a big deal to the Cubs and it wouldn’t cost us much more than that and Murphy and Heilman, but who knows. If it costs us Havens, I might even do that.
Lowe and Fuentes do not excite me.
Paying 3/28 for a 33 YO Brian Fuentes seems exorbitant. And Lowe doesnt sound like the type that would flourish in NYC.
Neither move falls under the word Creative. More like overpaying and settling.
Marmol is NOT going to be traded. I would do whatever it takes to get Pujols. And let’s do whatever it takes to get Webb. Hey, I know, Longoria and Price look good, let’s trade Castillo and Heilman and get those two. Maybe we’ll have to throw in Evans.
You know who else might be a good fit for the Mets? Joe Nathan. Maybe we can trade Argenis Reyes for him.
Argenis Reyes for Joe Nathan is a great comedic response — you sir, are funny!!! I was thinking maybe Fmart and certainly Niese and Murph in that package — your deals are just plain dumb, and your sarcasm is weak.
When Marmol gets traded will you still be cracking ‘jokes’? Doubtfully. Tidewater = dumb once again, everyone has been right
I promise to come back and eat crow if Marmol is traded. Why would the Cubs — a high revenue team — trade a young, dynamic, cheap highly effective arm like Marmol’s?
You are a moron.
Because he has the highest trade value, and they want to make changes to their team. That answers your question perfectly. Mine is: Why would an intelligent individual ever resort to insults when trying to make an argument? That never happens, yet above you did it. I’m confused.
Honestly, I think it’s a great idea. Anyone in the league can be traded. The fact that Marmol is cheap, young and dynamic only makes his trade value that much higher, and that he can be a closer for someone makes his value even higher for the buyer.
snake:
You called me dumb. You resorted to insults.
Teams build around young players like Marmol. Like we do with Reyes and Wright.
I never called you dumb, I called your deals dumb. I would never insult the person like you did — personal insults come from someone who is out of ideas.
Also, I was referring to how other people have called you dumb in the last comment.
Nobody called me dumb in my last comments, and no you wrote Tidewater = dumb, not Tidewater’s ideas = dumb.
You must be out of ideas, pal.
What do you think about Huston Street as the new closer? What would it take to get him? Kunz and Evans? He is not Oakland’s closer anymore. I know that you cannot find a Brad Lidge every year but he has nice stuff.
I am curious too to see what Beane will do with him. It actually looks like he held on to him too long. Strange for Billy.
I would welcome bringing him in to compete for the closer job with a guy like Juan Cruz.
Why on earth would we give Fuentes that kind of money just to not sign Krod? Is that extra 3-5 million really going to matter? If you don’t want Krod then sign another average closer for cheaper or get creative and trade for a guy or bring in a guy like Cruz and let him close. 38 million for a guy that was demoted from closer 2 times in 3 years? Wow what a market.
Maybe we should look at Maine as closer and go out and get Garland and Lowe.
Johan, Pelfrey, Lowe, Garland, Niese.
BP
Maine, Everyday Eddie, Juan Cruz, Stokes, Smith, Parnell, LHRP.
I agree 100% about Fuentes. K-rod is like 7 years younger and is only going to cost a few million more poor year. Plus they’re both type A’s and I’d much rather sacrifice a first rounder for a guy who’s more likely to be a long-term solution.
I just don’t get why anyone sees Fuentes as an option at that price. Considering who he is and the numbers he has put up, I would give him maybe 2 years 12 million. Seriously I don’t get it.
I don’t get what you to have against Fuentes- you usually seem to make good stats arguments on here.
Him and K-Rods numbers over the past few years are pretty damn close. Who cares that Colorado demoted him- maybe their just dumb (i admit to not knowing anything about his replacement).
If he can be had for 3 years as opposed to Krod’s 5 I think that makes all the difference in the world.
That said- I’d prefer a trade for Ryan or Putz or trying Cruz or your idea with Maine.
let’s start with the fact fuentes is SEVEN YEARS OLDER meaning we’re going to have to worry about replacing him again sooner than if we signed k-rod.
then the fact that k-rod is playoff battle tested. yes he wet the bed this year but he’s appeared in more games than fuentes and more than held his own.
then there’s the fact that i’m not giving big money to a guy that not too long was demoted as closer in favour of manny corpas. he only got the job back because corpas was even worse when he was given the closer’s role.
end the malarkey and sign k-rod.
I think the Mets would rather go with the three year (Fuentes) deal than the five your deal(K-Rod).
I can’t fault them for being gun shy about K-Rod with a five year deal.
i wouldn’t fault them if they chose not to give a 33 year old a five year deal but a 26 yer old, i can definitely fault them for that.
A 26 year old with a small frame and an injury history.
I think the key is to find that realiable 7th and 8th inning guy. It just want to throw up thinking that you can commit $15M over five years to a guy who is going to pitch one inning for 50 to 60 games a year. That’s money you could spend on a starter or a position player.
I am not sold on Fuentes either, but man, $15M over five and you are not the best closer in baseball (mariano).
You’re not getting the best closer in baseball for 12 million over 3 years either, really you’re not even sure if you’re getting a closer or how long he’ll be able to keep the position. I’d rather not sign either of them but between the two K-rod makes more sense IMO. If it comes down to Fuentes and ?? I think I’d rather go with the question mark and spend the 12 million somewhere else. Especially since we’re talking about giving up a draft pick on top of the money.
If we’re going to give up a draft pick considering the state of our farm system IMO it should either because we’re getting a player who will serve a long-term role, we’re getting a player who will put us over the top or we’re a team like the red sox who knows they have the pieces and a strong farm system and the draft pick just isn’t a big deal.
be careful trading highly rated young RP candidates… braves gave up joey devine for Kostay and he has been awesome for OAK
Especially for aging veterans.
I would not be upset at all if next year’s pen included Parnell and Kunz.
i would actually be upset if the pen didnt include parnell, kunz, and stokes to be honest.
Parnell and Stokes- Kunz might make good trade bait and I’m not as sure about him.
lowe would be a great fit… fuentes a good one… closers cost so much money and often a guy comes out of nowhere to claim the job
How is Fuentes a good one? Help me here. I seriously do not get it. He is average at best and wanting Lidge type money. This is a guy that was never that good to start with and is already 33 years old.
i agree. I’m not an advocate of Krod, but with fuentes being 33 it just screams more of the same older player signings.
i want to see how “creative” the mets actually get this offseason.
I hope this is posturing on Omar’s part to keep the negotiations with K-Rod from getting out of hand. I do not want Fuentes and will be upset if we have to settle for that when something is much better for not much more $$.
How about Kerry Wood for 2 years + a club option and groom Parnell?
Use Parnell as the setup guy and the closer if/when Wood get hurt. Kuntz could be the 7th inning guy.
The rest of the BP should be Stokes and a clomplete overhaul…..!
Heilman needs a new home and so does schenworse!
I like the Cruz idea too, the more guys that can throw gas the better I say. We need a lefty who can come in and throw 96-97 not guys that are slider happy.
I think the ideal scenario is trading to BJ Ryan who only has a year left on his contract. Sign Cruz and let him, Parnell, Stokes and Kunz compete for the set up guy job (maybe even Duaner). Hope that one of them steps up to be closer in 2010. We also have more hard throwers a little further down in the minors who may be ready for a shot by 2010.
Folks, Kunz and Parnell have proven nothing anywhere, and they don’t get scouts excited. Might they be good? Sure. Might they be awful? Yes. Why are we so ready to turn our bullpen over to those two + Stokes who had his moments but has been terrible as well?
We have to stop thinking that everyone who comes through the system is better than what is already here.
I don’t understand the infatuation with Fuentes. The guy is seeking a $12-13MM deal. Do we need to pinch pennies for $2MM per year? If it’ll make them feel better, back load the contract so that you pay K-Rod $12MM this year then $16MM for 3 yrs. By then, Wags will be off the books.
Not to mention, K-Rod is better than Fuentes. Then you see Fuentes’ demands. He wants Lidge money? Put up Lidge numbers then (besides the k/IP ratio).
I like the smarmy reaction to Lowe being interested in the Red Sox despite them being on the East Coast.
Hmmm….maybe the fact that he spent most of his career in Boston and won a WS there explains why he’d be interested in the Sox and not the Mets or Yankees? Just a thought.
forget the bullpen…history tells us “The Reality Is” that Omar is more concerned with pooling together a bunch of scrap heap positions players so he can hang his hat on the genius of uncovering the next Tatis or Valentin out of a pile of Brady Clarks, Angel Pagans, Ruben Sierras, Ben Johnsons, Trot Nixons, and David Newhans.
Seriously. Big name free agents win championships. *looks at the Yankees* …oh wait.
yeah, big name aquisitions like Carlos Beltran and Johan Santana have really stunk it up for us.
Haha with the way most of these fans act you’d think Beltran actually has. I’m talking about the fact that Yankees solution is just “sign everyone” yet the only time they’ve last won the World Series was with home grown guys, maybe Clemens as the one exception.
I will give you a few key cogs to those Yankees teams that were not home grown.
Paul O’Neil
Scott Brosious (sp)
John Wetland
Tino Martinez
Wade Boggs
Jimmy Key
David Cone
Mariano Duncan
Doc Gooden
Chuck Knoblock
Joe Girardi
David Wells
I don’t really think that is why he does it. Fernando Tatis was in AAA all year (performing at a high level might I add). We had numerous injuries which forced us to bring him up and play on the bench. Then, further injuries and high level performance put him in the starting lineup. Tatis earned his way back to the big leagues. There is no denying that.
Valentin was an afterthought. He was on the bench and was destined to be a bench player in 2006, until Anderson Hernandez got hurt. Then, he earned his keep in the starting lineup by producing. 18 HR out of the 8 hole. Imagine that?
I might also add that Angel Pagan was playing AWESOME until he separated his shoulder diving into the stands on a fly ball…
Trot was signed out of a need of a ML player who could play the outfield. Unfortunately, he was hurt as well…
Yeah…Omar was definitely hanging his hat on Trot friggin Nixon.
Just because Lowe wants to go back to the Sox where he has a history, doesn’t mean he’s hot to play on the East Coast for the other teams you know
I mentioned this a couple of weeks agon other threads, fwiw - A close friend of Lowe’s told me he’s either staying on the west coast or back to Boston. He’ll only use the NY teams to up his price, but he does not want to play there. But who knows, maybe we offer him a deal ($) he can’t refuse.
We got Pedro that way, who knows.