Buzz: Joel Pineiro and the Mets
Buster Olney, in a post to his blog for ESPN, says the Mets, top starting pitching target is likely to be RHP Joel Pineiro.
…i think the Mets really need to be careful about Pineiro because he could be a product of Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan…i’d be ok with a short term deal for Pineiro but nothing more than one or two years…i think he would be ok and certainly less risky than a guy like Erik Bedard or Ben Sheets, although his upside isn’t as good as those two…
In addition, Olney believes the Mets, who he says has between $15 – $22 million in payroll flexibility, should abandon the pursuit of Jason Bay and focus their money on three or four players who provide them with short term depth which will give them flexibility beyond 2010.
…this is what i said earlier, and exactly what Matt said yesterday and the day before…
…i think as far as an available dollar amount is concerned, there is no way to really know how much they have to spend, but the offers out to Bengie Molina and Jason Bay push what Olney believes is the Mets’ ceiling…it’s safe to say they probably don’t want to go above the luxury tax threshold, and nor should they with the crop of players that are available…that said, the Mets, as will any team, should always have flexibility at the top, provided the right player come around…
