Joe Janish, in a post to Mets Today, wonders whether or not the Mets should exercise the $8.6 million option for J.J. Putz.
Janish points out that the Mets ignored the elbow problem that kept him out of action for a month in 2008, and that Jerry Manuel rode him hard early on.
…i think that Putz‘ option is steep, but thats not to say that the Mets shouldn’t consider bringing him back…his health will be a question mark early on, but i am confident that he will be healthy next year…
…if they let him walk, then he will want to close somewhere else so if the Mets wish to retain him, they will have to pick up his option…then again, i don’t believe the Mets should handcuff Putz into being a setup guy if he isn’t happy doing that because that will eventually effect his performance and the team dynamic in one way or another…
Janish also reminds fans that they never saw Putz at his best, and if they do let him go, the Mets will need to find a new setup man for the eighth inning.
…i think this is the key reason why they should exercise the option, but as i said, only if he is happy in that role…
For more on this, check out Janish’s post.
{ 14 comments }
I agree, we never saw the real putz, I’ll bring him back on another cheaper deal to prove he is healthy.
The Mets are in a tough spot. If he’s healthy then they probably have to roll the dice on Putz.
They should only pay him 8.5 million dollars to be a set up guy if he’s happy? I’d be happy doing just about anything for 8.5 million dollars.
Not picking up his option would be a monumental waste of the 9(?) players we gave up to get him.
If he’s healthy and you don’t want him, trade him and help restock the roster.
If he’s not healthy, keep him around until he is and maybe he can help for the stretch run, or be traded at the trade deadline.
Do NOT waste another resource like the front office did with Billy Wagner.
I agree with everything you said. But seriously what did the mets give up in that trade?
Jason Vargas, Endy Chavez, Aaron Heilman, Mike Carp, Ezequiel Carrara and Maikel Cleto, and Joe Smtih.
Heilman’s time was done with the mets. Chavez is no good, Joe Smith was ok, Carrara was not good. Carp has some upside and so does Cleto.
But in reality the mets gave up nothing.
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I’m for working something out with Putz. Having him as the 8th inning guy and a monster trade deadline chip is huge.
Carp wouldve been a big improvement over Murphy.
Wake up. Who is going to give up anything of value for a former closer coming off injury making $8.6M? Clueless.
Seriously? He was terrible last year with diminishing velocity (his only strength as a pitcher) before gettting injured for the majority of the season for the 2nd straight season. Then add in the thought that he is extremely overpaid for a setup man ($9M is alot to pay for a decent closer).
What’s done is done as far as trades go. Sunk costs should have never have any bearing on future investments. Sometimes you just have to cut your losses.
PASS.
Am I the only person that watched Putz pitch last season?!? Bullpens are the worst thing you can spend money on. They are a complete and total crapshoot from year to year.
I agree you cant pay this guy 8.5 million dollars to be a setup man considering hes a HUGE question mark. Im all for declining the option and trying to resign him to something reasonable to setup if hes willing to but 8.5 million could go towards a #3 starter.
We absolutly need to pick up his option. And keep him. The Mets don’t have another option for the 8th inning. He is also insurance in case they need someone for the 9th. We can never let the bullpen be as terrible as it was in ‘07 and ‘08.
They should hold onto him if for nothing else than the Phillies will be looking for a closer this off season. Hate to see Putz do to the Mets what Pedro did.
Keep Putz, restructure the deal, make him the set up man, let parnell work the 7th and then you can deal putz at the trade deadline or if we are WS bound (when?) then we can keep him to solidify the back of the bullpen, i don’t know but pitching is always worth it if we can work something out
also omar is going to want to prove that he made a good deal and so far this year it did not look like a good deal
and yes mpetr is right, 07 and 08 cannot be repeated, i still have terrors and night sweats over it
If he’s kept, it can’t just be exercising the option. $8.5 million is a huge chunk of change for someone that may not be 100% next year.
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