Mets Sign Frank Catalanotto To Minor-League Deal

by Eric Simon on Jan 30, 2010 12:53 PM EST

Thus spoke Brian Costa of the Star Ledger. F-Cat hit .278/.346/.382 with the Brewers in 2009, primarily in the corner outfield spots. He has about a season's worth of fielding experience at first and second over the course of his career; UZR has him slightly-below-average at both positions. He will be 36 this year.

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Is he going to accept a minor league deal if he doesnt make the team out of ST?

Is there room on the bench for him? With Beltran on the DL we have Pagan starting (maybe/probably). Then we have a bench of Cora, GMJ, Tatis, Santos, Evans? Is that it?

"Wait till Biggus Dickus hears about this!"

by scott from peekskill on Jan 30, 2010 12:57 PM EST reply actions

Unfortunately I don't know if we can pencil Evans into a bench role.

Even though it shouldn’t be a question. I like this signing. Not a bad guy to have around, especially if he’d accept a demotion to AAA if need be.

by True Blue4 on Jan 30, 2010 12:59 PM EST up reply actions

Given the way he has been ignored so far

I’m not sure we can even pencil Evans into a bench role at Buffalo.

by Eric Simon on Jan 30, 2010 1:06 PM EST up reply actions

Joking aside (I hope) he's gotta be Buffalo's starting LF doesn't he?

He won’t play first, and they’re not gonna bench Davis against lefties in the minors, but its not like the organization is super deep in corner outfielders or anything. Would they really bump Evans for the sake of Carlos Guzman and Lucas Duda? Both were decent last year, decent enough to play in Triple-A this year, but they don’t exactly have anyone pushing them from below, and there’s still one corner spot open in Buffalo.

"All energy flows according to the whims of the great magnet

What a fool I was to defy him"

-HST

by Mark Himmelstein on Jan 30, 2010 2:35 PM EST up reply actions

It's very possible that Davis starts the season in AA.

It kind of goes against the Mets aggressive M.O., but it’s something to consider. It’s also possible that Evans could be sent there…he spent time there last year.

"We're just as bad as the old Mets, but this time nobody's laughing"
-Dallas Green

by Stephen Schmidt on Jan 30, 2010 2:51 PM EST up reply actions

With all the talk of the him being the "First baseman of the future"

And the fact that the Mets used him as an excuse not to sign a first baseman this offseason, I’m pretty confident he’ll start in Triple-A.

"All energy flows according to the whims of the great magnet

What a fool I was to defy him"

-HST

by Mark Himmelstein on Jan 30, 2010 5:30 PM EST up reply actions

I'd think the same, but I'd guess alot of it comes down to how he looks in spring training.

It wouldn’t be unheard of to look for more than 230 PA’s in AA, even if he’s looked at as a part for 2011.

"We're just as bad as the old Mets, but this time nobody's laughing"
-Dallas Green

by Stephen Schmidt on Jan 30, 2010 8:22 PM EST up reply actions

let's clear this up right now

seeing as how i never got to take advantage of the big cat moniker, at this time or at any time heresoafter frank catalanatto shall be known as ‘the little cat’.

by Rob Castellano on Jan 30, 2010 1:18 PM EST reply actions

I've been calling him "Frankie Cats" for years

so I can’t stop now.

It’s got a nice, mob ring to it.

by SeanSchirmer on Jan 30, 2010 8:21 PM EST up reply actions

Not a bad deal

another reason to go out and watch your 2010 Buffalo Bison

"We're investigating the investigative procedure of the investigation of Tony Bernazard"---Omar Minaya (he really didn't say it but he would"

by firejerrynow on Jan 30, 2010 1:32 PM EST reply actions

I'm cool with this signing

Buffalo is going to be great this year.

by KeithsMoustache on Jan 30, 2010 1:43 PM EST reply actions

new name for this site

“Bison Boulevard” ?

I.M. Forme
"When you get yourself into trouble is when you feel you have to do something, and then you get yourself in trouble." --Omar Minaya

by itsmetsforme on Jan 30, 2010 6:59 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs

Better than signing Frank Caliendo I suppose

by Syler on Jan 30, 2010 2:24 PM EST reply actions

frank caliendo is still versatile at least

by inventor frank on Jan 30, 2010 4:33 PM EST up reply actions

sigh

i wish i could read

I.M. Forme
"When you get yourself into trouble is when you feel you have to do something, and then you get yourself in trouble." --Omar Minaya

by itsmetsforme on Jan 30, 2010 10:37 PM EST up reply actions

F-cat

Nice one

DWDLD

by Jadden Hopkins on Jan 30, 2010 3:23 PM EST reply actions

frankie c yeah really ..

hey call me crazy but i like this move its no orlando hudson but he can play second and castillo is going to fail this year so maybe that was the thinking i dont know maybe it will work but is he going to start the season in buffalo or is he going to make the team ?

by lohaus#54 on Jan 30, 2010 4:13 PM EST reply actions

catalanatto and 2nd base

he played 7 innings there last year, first time since 2002 that he did. he’s probably one spot ahead of daniel murphy on the second base depth chart

by inventor frank on Jan 30, 2010 4:40 PM EST up reply actions

punctuation is your friend

by anonymous on Jan 30, 2010 4:40 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

Said the man (?) with no capitals or punctuation.

by SeanSchirmer on Jan 30, 2010 8:22 PM EST up reply actions

irony is my friend, too

And a four-word sentence is a lot easier to read than the Molly Bloom speech that lohaus#54 posted.

by anonymous on Jan 30, 2010 8:24 PM EST up reply actions

Just joshing you, anon.

by SeanSchirmer on Jan 31, 2010 12:43 AM EST up reply actions

oh, I know, no worries

I was hoping someone would blow (ahem) the whistle on that.

by anonymous on Jan 31, 2010 12:47 AM EST up reply actions

woah

is that Ulysses reference?

douchion = -(grission)

by HoJoHeff on Jan 31, 2010 2:46 AM EST up reply actions

yes (I said yes I will Yes)

but I can switch to Faulkner or Gertrude Stein or something next time if you prefer.

by anonymous on Jan 31, 2010 3:29 AM EST up reply actions

very impressive

"Never throw a slider to The Glider."

- Ed Charles, No. 5

by The Glider on Jan 31, 2010 3:47 PM EST up reply actions

is that schirmer or schlonger bahh lol lol front runner.

by lohaus#54 on Jan 30, 2010 11:00 PM EST up reply actions

I'm so confused

by Joamiq on Jan 31, 2010 2:05 AM EST up reply actions

blow me ..

by lohaus#54 on Jan 30, 2010 10:55 PM EST up reply actions

flagged

Welcome to AA. Please try to act like a grownup.

by anonymous on Jan 30, 2010 11:18 PM EST up reply actions

flagged

"We're investigating the investigative procedure of the investigation of Tony Bernazard"---Omar Minaya (he really didn't say it but he would"

by firejerrynow on Jan 31, 2010 6:09 AM EST up reply actions

I'm pretty sure that not using proper grammar isn't an invitation to perform oral sex . Just saying, though.

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Jan 31, 2010 7:58 PM EST up reply actions

good bench signing again

I like this signing but again he is just a utility role player. now I agree these type of players are very important when you have to round out a team, and his D at 1B and the OF seems very strong for late in the game but do we have a good enough starting team. Good D coul dbe a way of improving our team ERA. being we don’t have big strikeout pitchers, solid D might help us gain a few wins

by Rickfansince76 on Jan 30, 2010 4:31 PM EST reply actions

Yup--assuming I have his numbers right

Frankie Cats is exactly the kind of guy we needed last year, and it’s a good move by the FO.

by SeanSchirmer on Jan 30, 2010 8:23 PM EST up reply actions

I've always liked him

probably because he’s one of the only guys I ever played against in high school that made it pro (him and Billy Koch). He’s not a bad bat to have off the bench. He’s better than Corey Sullivan or Reed, that’s for sure.

by Mackey Sasser on Jan 30, 2010 4:32 PM EST reply actions

i don't get it

this guy’s going to impersonate a backup outfielder now? I thought he was with the Braves.

I.M. Forme
"When you get yourself into trouble is when you feel you have to do something, and then you get yourself in trouble." --Omar Minaya

by itsmetsforme on Jan 30, 2010 9:18 PM EST reply actions

typical Met signing... about 4 yrs late.

that said, he’ll prob make the last bench spot. Unbelievable that there is no LHed power bat on the entire team.

by ThnkGoodnessforHowieRose on Jan 30, 2010 9:38 PM EST reply actions

On MLB network ... Card v. Mets, 2006 NLCS, Game 7

Chavez catch and then … well, you know the rest. But still fun to watch. Hope we get back there … some day.

"Never throw a slider to The Glider."

- Ed Charles, No. 5

by The Glider on Jan 31, 2010 12:52 AM EST reply actions

On the bright side, we've become a hot spot for minor league FA's

They all think they can outplay our regulars.

by DoghouseBlues on Jan 31, 2010 11:32 AM EST reply actions 1 recs

Awesome, now we're going to win the World Series

by JoshNY on Jan 31, 2010 12:51 PM EST reply actions

According to that picture, The Little Cat < GMJ

Or, at least that video on GMJ’s iPhone.

by The nye mets are my favorite team on Jan 31, 2010 2:06 PM EST reply actions

I signed Frank the Cat in my MLB game last year. I also signed R.A. Dickie. I went on, in the game, to get into the playoffs.

Things are looking promising.

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Jan 31, 2010 7:59 PM EST reply actions

I love Frank

He came to my school like 2 weeks ago and talk to us about hitting. He said he was interested in coming back to the mets but they had Delgado then I told him that Delgado is no longer a met and thet there probably not going to resign him because he couldn’t play the field anymore. I told him he should be a met and that they can use him. Funny how things turn out isn’t it?

by metsbaseball93 on Jan 31, 2010 8:24 PM EST reply actions