Mets sign Pitcher Ron Villone

by cuseindahuse on Feb 27, 2009 9:56 PM EST

Adding our latest pitcher to the scrap heap

The only question I have is AAA or AA or A?

In 74 games with the Cardinals last year, Villone produced a 1-2 record with a 4.68 earned run average.

Come on. Tim Redding, Livan Hernandez, Freddy Garcia, and now Ron Villone. Mets are now the new dumping ground of yesteryear's talent.

(Nightmare) Imagine if they were our starting rotation. Makes you miss Tom Glavine and Al Leiter's final season.

The future is Niese and Parnell, but I can see at least one positive. This will increase the level of competition and make a difference if someone believes they have competition, especially for the 5th rotation spot which is up in the air.

Peace

Cuseinadhuse

Poll

Ron Villone will play...

Buffalo Bisons

12 votes

Binghamton Mets

9 votes

Savanah Sand Gnats

4 votes

Other (add below)

5 votes

30 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Livan, Figgy, Knight, Villone, and Dessens.

Even 5-7 years ago, that AAA rotation doesn’t look good.

by BobbyV_Incognito on Feb 28, 2009 1:26 AM EST reply actions

I mean

We’d have to assume he’s being signed as another LOOGY, right? It’s not like he’s competing for the 5th spot in the rotation. I have no problem with throwing this guy a minor league deal.

'Oh yes, I know all about that duty-of-a-citizen stuff. It doesn't go. There are exceptions to every rule, and this was one of them. When a man risks his liberty to come and root at a ball-game, you've got to hand it to him. He isn't a crook. He's a fan.'

by Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright on Feb 28, 2009 10:01 AM EST reply actions

that was my assumption

hasn’t everyone been saying we need another lefty? Villone hasn’t started a game since 2004, and last year lefties hit .176/.311/.318 against him. Fine signing, IMO.

by cjmulrain on Feb 28, 2009 10:03 AM EST up reply actions

+1

no reason to complain IMO, hes as capable as de los santos, fossum or switzer to win that last LOOGY spot. now if hes used against anything but lefties then theres an issue…

by Rob Castellano on Feb 28, 2009 12:34 PM EST up reply actions

in fact

villone was one of a group of lefties i supposed the mets might pick from to find that backup LOOGY in my previous ‘Sifting through the LOOGYs’ post:

http://www.amazinavenue.com/2009/2/2/743192/sifting-through-the-loogys

by Rob Castellano on Feb 28, 2009 12:39 PM EST up reply actions

I'd prefer Fossum over all of those guys.

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf"
-Tug McGraw

by squid92 on Feb 28, 2009 12:56 PM EST up reply actions

Good point

Didn’t think once about Villone being a possible LOOGY (had to look the term up). Makes me fear the dreaded carousel of specialists (who were not that special) last yr. Maybe. Just maybe if the roles were defined and knew their place and stopped playing musical chairs, we might have eeked our the NL East.

by cuseindahuse on Feb 28, 2009 9:02 PM EST up reply actions

yeah but

people keep saying that, “we had a pen full of specialists last year so why bring in a second LOOGY and further specialize this years pen?” the key is that the last 2 innings are covered no matter who comes up. so really, we’re looking to the remaining 6-7 relievers to cover the 7th and sometimes 6th innings. 6 guys for 2 innings is more than enough to allow for some LOOGY/ROOGYs.

IMO specialization isn’t a bad thing (because most of the time its more effective) until it becomes overabused like it did last season.

by Rob Castellano on Mar 1, 2009 11:52 AM EST up reply actions

Didn't feel like looking this up last night

His BB/9 is 4.89 for his career. He’s got a 1.47 K/BB. Still, he could be a useful long reliever or LOOGY. The deeper fences (and Beltran) should keep a few more of the flies he’ll allow from falling. His projected FIP:

Bill James: 4.44
Marcels: 4.67
CHONE: 4.55

Also, this guy is well-traveled. If he makes the team, this will be his 11th MLB team, plus 2 stints each with the Mariners and Astros.

by BobbyV_Incognito on Feb 28, 2009 11:14 AM EST reply actions

additional stats

here are his splits AGAINST LEFTIES in his last 3 seasons versus a couple other available guys who are held in much higher regard:

Ron Villone – .194/.296/.329 over 258 ab’s

Joe Beimel – .232/.274/.304 over 280 ab’s
Will Ohman – .194/.283./313 over 278 ab’s

suddenly hes not looking like a bad signing at all. to see villone’s splits versus the others LOOGY candidates we’ve brought into camp i linked to my old post above

by Rob Castellano on Feb 28, 2009 12:45 PM EST up reply actions

I'll be disappointed if the Mets keep a LOOGY on their roster in addition to Feliciano

We don’t need a repeat of 2008’s specialist bullpen.

by James Kannengieser on Feb 28, 2009 1:36 PM EST up reply actions

I don't really understand why those 4 were lumped together.

Redding was actually a good signing (before we learned about the foot surgery/shoulder injury). He should definitely be an upgrade over whoever they’ve had at the #5 spot the last few seasons.

Garcia was a nice roll of the dice. He pitched pretty well for Detroit.

Livan is just here to see if he still has anything, and would have been a solid #5 in ‘07. His stuff doesn’t translate to the AL at all, so it was no surprise he stunk in Minnesota.

And as mentioned above, Villone is just here to compete for the 2nd LOOGY spot in the pen.

by SQUAD on Feb 28, 2009 1:30 PM EST reply actions