Jorge Soler

by Wrightmove on Dec 28, 2011 3:09 PM EST

So the other day I was browsing SNY Why Guys and saw this article. When I first read it I thought it was an unrealistic idea that would never happen. But I thought about it a bit more and I'm starting to like it more and more. I am a bit shaky on the details of some of these international signings such as can you pay a higher annual salary in the minors and some other aspects. But, how I understand it the new cap doesn't come into affect until July. From what I have read on Soler a 5 year contract with a value around 20 million should get it done. I don't know if it could be broken down as 4 mil per year or if there would have to be a large signing bonus. But either way I think the Mets should be interested. They still have some more room in their budget, what would you rather see them do spend it on some bench guys for a season that is unlikely to be successful, or invest in the future?

Now onto why it would be a great value for the Mets. I have read that Soler is comparable to Bubba Starling and that he would be a top 20 prospect. If you use this article a value of a top 25 hitting prospect is 25 million and Soler would definitely be a top 25 hitting prospect. Further, when I was reading Sickel's article 2 things stood out.

1. The lack of elite talent.

2. The strength of pitching and weakness in hitting talent.

Soler would fix this, he would probably be graded an A/A- by Sickels. This would give us a very strong farm, comparable to the Nats post Gio trade imho. In addition, I have read that Soler will need 800-1000 AB in the Minors. That would conservatively put him in line for a call up in 2014. In 14 we will have some outfield openings too, and it will be around when our pitchers are ready to go. I think the Mets should definitely give Soler a call. What do you think?

Poll

Should the Mets pursue Soler?

Yes

62 votes

No

10 votes

72 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

If the money is a possibility,

definitely. Our money is much better spent “buying” a prospect like this than plugging in gaps with veterans.

Hell, if the deal would actually be $20m/5 yrs., the 2011 money is pretty much what we spent on Jon Rauch.

by GilbertP on Dec 28, 2011 3:31 PM EST reply actions

Then again,

just realized with the time he’ll need to develop, the numbers don’t make sense. As a nineteen year old, three out of those five years would be developing. He’d have to be signed to a longer term deal.

by GilbertP on Dec 28, 2011 3:35 PM EST up reply actions

This was my first thought

Also, the vast majority of the value of prospects comes when the prospect enters their prime at the major league level. This is when the player is 26-29, long after this particular prospect would no longer be team property. My question would then be if Soler can be had for 5 / 20, can he also be had for, say, 7/30 or 9/40.

by djg2111 on Dec 28, 2011 3:40 PM EST up reply actions

My understanding

is that he would still have to go through his arbitration years before he would no longer be team property. For example, Chapman was signed for 5 years 25.5 million, till 2014, but he is not a free agent till 2016. I believe his arbitration clock wouldn’t start till he was called up. So if he reaches the majors 2-3 years in, the team would control him for the next 6-7 years or so.

by Wrightmove on Dec 28, 2011 5:15 PM EST up reply actions

This.

It’s like any other 0-3 player with a major league contract. They’re up against the options clock from the start, but they don’t start accruing service time until they’re in the majors and thus, there’d likely be a few arbitration years on the end (say Soler signs for 5 years and he takes 2 in the minors to develop. He’d have the 3 years left on the original contract, plus 3 more seasons of potentially expensive arbitration).

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by Steve Schreiber on Dec 28, 2011 7:16 PM EST up reply actions

Got it,

thanks both of you.

Something that confuses me then, why doesn’t this apply to someone like Ryota Igarashi as well? Age?

by GilbertP on Dec 28, 2011 9:45 PM EST up reply actions

The difference with Igarashi and a lot of the older Japanese guys is that

they typically get a clause added into their contract that allows them to elect free agency at the end of the contract, as opposed to after 6 years, since they’re already veterans in the Japanese Leagues. It’s kind of a courtesy to them, so that they can get paid like veterans, as opposed to 30+ year old rookies.

Chamption of the R.A. Dickey Face contest and "Cromulent Photoshopper Extraordinaire" of Amazin' Avenue!
You might know me as mistermet.

by Steve Schreiber on Dec 28, 2011 10:12 PM EST up reply actions

Ahhh.

You learn something new every day.

by GilbertP on Dec 28, 2011 11:16 PM EST up reply actions

Thanks for the correction.

I thought the clock has to do with draft rules, so skipping the draft would skip the rules. It makes more sense that it has to do with league service time.

by djg2111 on Dec 29, 2011 11:50 AM EST up reply actions

I do not trust the Soler clan

by nerfan on Dec 28, 2011 4:39 PM EST reply actions

This

AAARRRRRRRSSSSSHHHHHHHHAAAAAAVVVVVIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNN!
Dream goal!

by Aidan Gibson on Dec 28, 2011 5:28 PM EST up reply actions

As long as he doesn't pitch like Alay Soler...

Except when he had the plastic chair.

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

AA Gamethread Embiggening Record Holder- 458 posts (08/24/11)
3rd Place- 2011 AAOP Contest | 1st place- 2012 AAOP Contest

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Dec 29, 2011 12:14 AM EST via mobile reply actions

Yeah, whenever I see the name I think of a mix of Jorge Sosa and Alay Soler...

by djg2111 on Dec 29, 2011 11:49 AM EST up reply actions

Damn it

Why can’t he have a good name, like Jerry Seaver, or R.A. Dickey?

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

AA Gamethread Embiggening Record Holder- 458 posts (08/24/11)
3rd Place- 2011 AAOP Contest | 1st place- 2012 AAOP Contest

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Dec 29, 2011 2:42 PM EST up reply actions

Any relation?

I can’t believe I actually had to have that mother f&%ker stare at me for a whole month cuz he made the team calendar.

"Intelligence is not a genetic predisposition. Think stupid!!"

by Wright of passage on Dec 29, 2011 6:37 PM EST up reply actions

I voted yes, but why would anyone want to sign with Mets with Fred and Jeff at the helm.

by bob c on Dec 29, 2011 3:14 PM EST reply actions

No thanks

by ZZPops on Dec 30, 2011 10:52 AM EST reply actions

lol

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by McCutchenIsTheTruth on Jan 2, 2012 7:18 PM EST up reply actions

(can't) hit shit, JORGE!!

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by astromets on Jan 5, 2012 1:34 AM EST up reply actions

If we signed him

would his contract be a MLB contract right off the bat? Or would it be like someone we draft, where his major league contract starts when he’s called up to the big team?

by SFloridaMetsFan on Dec 30, 2011 2:01 PM EST reply actions

This is the same as they should've put a bid

in for Chapman. Bolster the minors with chips. But the Wilponzis don’t care about tommorow. They care about keeping their heads above water while grasping to this team bringing it down setting the team back years and years.

by TheKid08 on Jan 2, 2012 9:11 PM EST reply actions

They gave big bonuses to Nimmo, Marquez

and my favorite prospect Evans at the draft, so maybe they are willing to spend a little bit for the future, and are smart enough to realize this is a better investment than the free agent market.

"Let them be stud muffins"
-Tom Seaver
Proud Mets, Jets, Knicks, Islanders fan.

by piazza62 on Jan 2, 2012 9:56 PM EST up reply actions

Exactly the opposite is happening

The Mets spent more on the draft this past year than they have in 2009 + 2010 combined.

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

AA Gamethread Embiggening Record Holder- 458 posts (08/24/11)
3rd Place- 2011 AAOP Contest | 1st place- 2012 AAOP Contest

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Jan 3, 2012 12:16 AM EST up reply actions

Well that was one draft and under new CBA rules it

was fun while it lasted. Now if thehy are really committed to the future they would look at and make offers to guys like this Cepedes and other international FA’s. But the reality is they have the bare funds to field a ML team let alone build for the future.

by TheKid08 on Jan 3, 2012 1:47 AM EST up reply actions

That doesn't mean they're not interested in doing so

I’d love to be the owner of a ‘85 Monte Carlo SS (and, who wouldn’t? Look at that beauty)- It calls out to my inner Brooklyn cugine. I can’t afford to buy a muscle car like that, or afford the likely sizable insurance. That doesn’t mean I have no interest in them, and wouldn’t want to buy one.

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

AA Gamethread Embiggening Record Holder- 458 posts (08/24/11)
3rd Place- 2011 AAOP Contest | 1st place- 2012 AAOP Contest

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Jan 3, 2012 3:09 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs