Roster Expansion

by Eric Simon on Sep 1, 2008 12:24 AM EDT

The Mets will call up the following minor leaguers when rosters expand today:

Jon Niese, LHP
Robert Parnell, RHP
Ricardo Rincon, LHP
Carlos Muniz, RHP
Al Reyes, RHP
Argenis Reyes, 2B
Ramon Martinez, IF

Niese is expected to start on Tuesday against the Brewers. Parnell, Rincon, Muniz and Al Reyes will go to the bullpen while Argenis Reyes and Martinez will add some bench depth. Marlon Anderson should come off the disabled list and join the expanded roster as well.

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Well METS fans, it's September and you know what that means...

It’s time to $hit or get off the pot.

Good luck METS!

"Donny you're out of your element! Dude, the Chinaman is not the issue here!"

by LOUtheMETandNATSfan on Sep 1, 2008 8:22 AM EDT reply actions

Who does Val Pascucci have to fuck to get a call-up?

He’s got 77 walks, 23 2B, 27 HR, a .410 OBP, and .551 SLG%. And yet Omar decides “screw outfield depth”. At the very least, he’s a pinch-hitter with some pop. Unless the situation calls for a drag bunt, I’d much rather see him at the plate than Endy.

Meet the new Mets:

Our Anus Reyes: We already know him. Above-average defense, shitty offense.

Ramon Martinez: Career OPS+ of 81. Plays second, short, and third, but none of them
particularly well. Has sub-league average Range Factor. He’s Anderson Hernandez without range, and a somewhat better bat.

Al Reyes: Pretty good reliever, coming off of a short but disappointing stint with the Rays. Slightly less than league-average ERA+ this year and last, after pitching very effectively (albeit in fairly small doses) for most of this decade. Gets about 9 K/9. At 37, it looks like there’s still something left in the tank.

Ricardo Rincon: Featured in Moneyball, he was at a time, a very highly sought-after lefty reliever. Hasn’t pitched in the bigs since 2006 with the Cardinals for all of 3 1/3 innings in 5 appearances. He did not pitch well. He’s now 38, and 2-3 years removed from his last good major league season. Spent almost the whole season on loan to a Mexican League team, so you can tell NO thought they could get by without him. Entirely possible he’s not going to help us at all.

Carlos Muniz: You know him, you probably wish you didn’t. Suffice it to say Dan Warthen should tell Carlos to try putting out the fires with water instead of gasoline.

So that’s what we’ve got: 2 rookies who’ve never pitched above AAA, 2 infielders who can’t hit (1 of whom is Omar’s favorite kind of bench player-the washed up kind), 1 reliever who can help us, another 1 who’s probably not, and a third who just plain sucks.

by BobbyV_Incognito on Sep 1, 2008 10:11 AM EDT reply actions

Don't get too worked up.

Except for Niese, who I suspect will be in over his head (but I hope not) as a big league starter this year, the rest of these guys will play marginal roles at best. Arg. Reyes and Martinez may get some late inning defense work at 2B or pinch hit in extra innings; I’d be surprised if either gets >10 ABs in Sept. Muniz will be in the way, way back of the bullpen. Rincon will probably get a shot to become a LOOGY, but on a very short leash. Al Reyes will get a chance to join the mid-bullpen muddle. In short, the division will be won or lost by the guys on the roster yesterday, not those who arrived today. As far as Pascucci goes, he wouldn’t displace anyone in the OF rotation now (especially defensively), so he’s a PH at best; anyway, he’ll probably get a call as soon as NO’s season ends.

by madisonmetsfan on Sep 1, 2008 11:43 AM EDT up reply actions

Val

I think it would just be nice to give him some recognition for the job he has done with New Orleans. Even if he is a quadruple-a player at best, and even if he’ll only get sporadic playing time in September, at least give the best offensive player on your highest-level minor league team a little bit of love.

by Eric Simon on Sep 1, 2008 12:20 PM EDT up reply actions

agreed

he’s been the best hitter in the minor league system this year—as someone else said, i’d rather have him pinch hitting than endy

by gogomets on Sep 1, 2008 12:53 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm really not expecting much from Niese and Parnell.

I know they were brought in just for a start or two, and I’ll be happy if they don’t get hit too hard. But New Orleans’ season is over. Their last game was Friday; the three remaining were canceled due to Hurricane Gustav. So why not bring up players like Pascucci, or Chris Aguila (who was briefly brought up during the summer) or Trot Nixon, who was down on a rehab assignment? They’ve all played well enough in AAA to earn a cup of coffee this September. They’re certainly more useful to us than a #4 second baseman who can’t field or hit.

by BobbyV_Incognito on Sep 1, 2008 1:55 PM EDT up reply actions