Mets are one of finalists for Mark Buehrle

Probably not going to happen, but interesting nonetheless

Update: Per Adam Rubin, when asked if the Mets would be pursuing a pricey starting pitcher, Sandy Alderson LOL-ed and said no way. When asked who might've started that rumor, he replied, "Probably vampires or something."

6 months ago Syler 73 comments 0 recs |

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I'm all for this

If Santana goes down again with injury, which is entirely possible, I’d like a good, consistent veteran starter at the front of the rotation for the second part of 2012 and 2013 so the kids don’t take on too much pressure. Only if he’d be willing to sign without a no trade, because he’d be a very valuable chip if everything goes as planned.

"Amazing strength, amazing power - he can grind the dust out of the bat. He will be great, super even wonderful. Now, if he can only learn to catch a fly ball."
-Casey Stengel on Lucas Duda

by piazza62 on Dec 6, 2011 3:44 PM EST reply actions

Yeah, Buerhle could be a great "Own To Rent" player

I could see a team overpaying for him at the deadline in a huge way in 2013.

by nerfan on Dec 6, 2011 3:48 PM EST up reply actions

Really?

Im suprised. Can’t say im unhappy, but it seems like he’s in a pretty high demand right now so im not getting too excited

Down 2 in the bottom of the ninth?
Lets Bring in Willie Harris!

by ShaqKazaam on Dec 6, 2011 3:50 PM EST reply actions

Makes no sense for a team rebuilding to make this deal

Maybe backlash from Reyes forces them to do something to “trick” the fans again.

by TheKid08 on Dec 6, 2011 3:53 PM EST reply actions

Well, Sandy has said he isn't "conceding" 2012 even without Reyes

There is no hope.... there is no future....there is only BLUE WALLS.

The 2012 Mets: Fortune cookie says come back in 2015

by Syler on Dec 6, 2011 3:55 PM EST up reply actions

Doesn't he have to say that regardless?

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf. "

– Tug McGraw when asked about his preference for grass or astroturf

by Terry_is_God on Dec 6, 2011 5:04 PM EST up reply actions

Was thinking the same

and it adds another big contract to a team stuck with albatross contracts and little money.

by graves9 on Dec 6, 2011 4:02 PM EST up reply actions

This.

Only was it makes sense is to move him down the road for prospects.

Save Jenrry Mejia!
2012 Amazin' Avenue Offseason Plan: 2nd place

by Ogre39666 on Dec 6, 2011 4:06 PM EST up reply actions

It makes total sense if (big if) you can get him on a non-albatross deal

As others have said, he could be an excellent trade commodity. And he would give us a solid rotation and a chance to not have to rush our pitching prospects. Just because you’re rebuilding doesn’t mean you completely forgo having good players.

by psiogen on Dec 6, 2011 4:14 PM EST up reply actions 4 recs

The words are Hoodwink and Bamboozle the fans again.

by Putnan Prince on Dec 6, 2011 10:59 PM EST up reply actions

or it could be an Oakland A's tactic:

sign and trade for prospects

"Fantasy, reality, science Fiction. Which is which? Who can tell?"

by feslenraster on Dec 6, 2011 3:54 PM EST reply actions

That's what I'm thinking

__________________________________________________
"He who gets the best players usually wins" - Bobby Bowden

by Russ on Dec 6, 2011 3:58 PM EST up reply actions

I have to go along with this thinking too

even if the trade doesn’t come until mid season.

by MetsFan4Decades on Dec 6, 2011 4:00 PM EST up reply actions

Thing is he'll likely only sign with a team that gives him a no trade contract

by graves9 on Dec 6, 2011 4:00 PM EST up reply actions

Then we don't sign him

__________________________________________________
"He who gets the best players usually wins" - Bobby Bowden

by Russ on Dec 6, 2011 4:03 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah that

by nerfan on Dec 6, 2011 4:15 PM EST up reply actions

Feels like the Mets

are joining in on this just to appease the fans. Maybe its my negativity towards the franchise at this point in the offseason but I highly doubt he winds up in Queens. And the closer we are interested in per metsblog has octavio dotel written all over it.

by SantonioBurress on Dec 6, 2011 3:58 PM EST reply actions

Dotel is pretty solid, so that wouldn't be terrible

There is no hope.... there is no future....there is only BLUE WALLS.

The 2012 Mets: Fortune cookie says come back in 2015

by Syler on Dec 6, 2011 3:59 PM EST up reply actions

I hope it's Frank Francisco

Though I wouldn’t mind Dotel either

by nerfan on Dec 6, 2011 3:59 PM EST up reply actions

Mets going for Buerhle?

Great. This makes losing Reyes not as bad.

by MetsCity on Dec 6, 2011 3:59 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

But in all seriousness

A rotation of Santana, Buehrle, Dickey, Gee and Niese is not terrible by any means. Throw in a couple of those minor league deals Sandy throws at guys like Chris Young, maybe throw Garland a deal and there is some depth we can play around with.

by SantonioBurress on Dec 6, 2011 4:03 PM EST reply actions

If we sign Buehrle, do we non-tender Pelfrey?

by nerfan on Dec 6, 2011 4:03 PM EST up reply actions

Haha

I completely forgot about Pelfrey. Who knows? Sandy and co. can be pretty unpredictable at certain points.

by SantonioBurress on Dec 6, 2011 4:04 PM EST up reply actions

I'd bet they would

by graves9 on Dec 6, 2011 4:06 PM EST up reply actions

If they did

they would say about 4.5 mil right? Thats another very good bullpen arm at that price and/or 2 solid utility guys. Penny pinching sucks but if you spend correctly, good things can happen.

by SantonioBurress on Dec 6, 2011 4:07 PM EST up reply actions

Gee is basically a replacement level pitcher

I like having him in case of injuries but I’d like not to have to rely on him as early as April.

by TheBigStapler on Dec 6, 2011 4:07 PM EST up reply actions

I mean

he was a rookie last year, there is a some room for improvement.

by SantonioBurress on Dec 6, 2011 4:08 PM EST up reply actions

Gee and Pelfrey are basically the same pitchers

although depth is a concern

There is no hope.... there is no future....there is only BLUE WALLS.

The 2012 Mets: Fortune cookie says come back in 2015

by Syler on Dec 6, 2011 4:09 PM EST up reply actions

except Gee is a lot younger

so his ceiling is higher

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by Cory Braiterman on Dec 6, 2011 7:13 PM EST up reply actions

I wouldn't say a "lot" younger.

They’re only two years apart. Pelfrey will be 28 in January, while Gee will be 26 in April. That being said, yes, the difference in major league experience is a lot. Gee’s probably got a little more chance to improve in the short term just by cleaning up his command.

Chamption of the R.A. Dickey Face contest and "Cromulent Photoshopper Extraordinaire" of Amazin' Avenue!
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by Steve Schreiber on Dec 6, 2011 7:45 PM EST up reply actions

Why?

Might as well see if he can put up a decent-to-good first half and move him at the deadline.

Save Jenrry Mejia!
2012 Amazin' Avenue Offseason Plan: 2nd place

by Ogre39666 on Dec 6, 2011 4:07 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah, I agree

I’d rather put him in the rotation than Gee, given his more proven track record. I wonder if we could get anything for Dillon?

by nerfan on Dec 6, 2011 4:09 PM EST up reply actions

If we acquire another starter, we probably keep Pelfrey and option Gee

You have to have Gee in AAA to back up Santana, unfortunately.

by psiogen on Dec 6, 2011 4:07 PM EST up reply actions

Prob tender him and then trade him

non-tendering just gives them nothing for him

A deadline has a wonderful way of concentrating the mind.-Professor James Moriarty
Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.- Former Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan

by Blame-everyone-else on Dec 6, 2011 4:07 PM EST up reply actions

Forget it

http://www.metsblog.com/2011/12/06/mets-mark-buehrle-have-mutual-interest/ updated at the top

by graves9 on Dec 6, 2011 4:10 PM EST reply actions

Well now I don't know what the hell is going on

by TheBigStapler on Dec 6, 2011 4:11 PM EST up reply actions

please dont link to Metsblog!

I read the articles, forget where i am and read Cerrone and Baron then the comments and feel like the internet is not a good place to be.

__________________________________________________________________
Really good kid.A very good player.Not a superstar. #BlameWilponz. Never Forget

by ScottfromPeekskill on Dec 6, 2011 8:25 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

Welp

“Sandy Alderson told reporters today that there is no way he will spend all of his remaining money on a free-agent starting pitcher like Mark Buehrle or C.J. Wilson.”
~Metsblog.

There goes all those hypotheticals.

by SantonioBurress on Dec 6, 2011 4:10 PM EST reply actions

Well assuming we still have 20-25M to spend it wouldn't be all of it for Buehrle

We could still sign Buehrle as long as we don’t have to give him a no-trade

by ZZPops on Dec 6, 2011 4:15 PM EST up reply actions

By the calculations I've seen,

after arbitration raises for Pagan and Pelfrey it’s more like 10 MIL left to spend.

by MetsFan4Decades on Dec 6, 2011 4:17 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah. He'll also spend other money

by nerfan on Dec 6, 2011 4:15 PM EST up reply actions

That doesn't really sound like he's saying no to Buehrle

He’s saying he wouldn’t blow the entire offseason budget on any one player (duh)

by psiogen on Dec 6, 2011 4:16 PM EST up reply actions

Well that was fun conversation

for 20 minutes.

by TheBigStapler on Dec 6, 2011 4:11 PM EST reply actions

The best signings Sandy can make right now are for guys who we can deal at the deadline for prospects

I’m really hoping Angel has a great first half because we could get something really good for him in return. If he plays like 2010, we should be able to get a top 100 prospect for a team that needs a quick upgrade.

by Evan_S on Dec 6, 2011 4:16 PM EST reply actions

I wonder if the Mets could have gotten Shelby Miller last July for Reyes

In hindsight that would have been the best case scenario

by Evan_S on Dec 6, 2011 4:22 PM EST up reply actions

Possibly

Probably could have gotten Jacob Turner though…maybe started a bidding war between St Louis and Detroit. Hindsight is 20/20 I guess.

by ZZPops on Dec 6, 2011 4:41 PM EST up reply actions

I doubt it.

You’d think they would’ve done that if it were even remotely a possibility. Miller’s a better pitching prospect than Wheeler at this point, since Miller’s already got 86 innings in AA and has exhibited better command over his brief career.

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 6, 2011 5:11 PM EST up reply actions

Oh I know

I’m just saying the Cards traded for Furcal midseason, maybe they would have given up Miller for Reyes. At this point I’m just annoyed we’re getting so little for Reyes leaving.

by Evan_S on Dec 6, 2011 6:27 PM EST up reply actions

Whew

Dodged that overpriced starter. It was probably vampires or something that helped save the day.

Astro Travellin'

by BlackOps on Dec 6, 2011 4:20 PM EST reply actions

The vampires made me do it

by cpins on Dec 6, 2011 4:34 PM EST reply actions

I was about to go off

Then I came to AA and found out I didn’t need to raise my blood pressure after all!

Oh pissing blimey there's jam coming out of the walls!

by TWilliAM on Dec 6, 2011 4:36 PM EST reply actions

trolled by Heyman again.

"No curses, only incompetent ownership" - Russ

by Help!I'maRock! on Dec 6, 2011 4:43 PM EST reply actions

oh the pain

Would actually be a brilliant move…a lefty that can pitch. Not yet toast, but he can come to NY to get burnt. Fact is, we get bubkiss until the team is sold.

Grouchoman
"The 2011 Mets - Love for Sale!"

by Grouchoman on Dec 6, 2011 4:48 PM EST reply actions

LOLwhat?

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 6, 2011 5:16 PM EST reply actions

Zero chance

I don’t know who started this rumor. They won’t pay Reyes 18 but they will pay Buerhle 12? Gimme a break. Maybe they are trying to pretend like they have money to spend for the sake of the fanbase, or some BS report got blown out of proportion.

At best, it’s not true, and at worst, if it is true, we’re idiots.

"I only wanted a few things out of life -- a wife, children, to play baseball and to hunt deer." - Turk Wendell

by Rey-O on Dec 6, 2011 5:19 PM EST reply actions 2 recs

Who says they wouldn't pay Reyes 18?

What we know is that they wouldn’t pay Reyes 18 for 6 guaranteed years. There’s no reason based on that to think the team can’t or wouldn’t give out a smaller, shorter contract to someone else.

by psiogen on Dec 6, 2011 5:30 PM EST up reply actions

If the Mets hand out a 12 million dollar contract to anyone after not getting involved with Reyes

the fans have a right to be pissed.

"I only wanted a few things out of life -- a wife, children, to play baseball and to hunt deer." - Turk Wendell

by Rey-O on Dec 6, 2011 5:46 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

The fans already have a right to be pissed for a number of reasons

But I don’t see what would be wrong with Alderson saying that he could approve a $36M deal but not a $106M deal.

by psiogen on Dec 6, 2011 6:11 PM EST up reply actions

If the Mets are really rebuilding

12 million a year for a 33 year old starting pitcher makes no sense.

"I only wanted a few things out of life -- a wife, children, to play baseball and to hunt deer." - Turk Wendell

by Rey-O on Dec 6, 2011 6:25 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

Why not?

Rebuilding doesn’t mean you trade everything that isn’t nailed down, play a bunch of replacement-level journeymen, and sit around crying while you lose 120 games a year waiting for your farm system to produce superstars. The goal is to assemble a quality roster and win as many games as possible on the current budget, without crippling the team in 2014-17.

by psiogen on Dec 6, 2011 7:05 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

Agreed

If you don’t have any players to sell tickets then it’s not going to help the mets current money woes

by JetMet on Dec 6, 2011 8:41 PM EST up reply actions

Exactly

Just because you aren’t in a position where you can seriously contend for a playoff spot doesn’t mean you can’t field a competent roster that might win more than it loses.

SELL THE METS

by piazza62 on Dec 6, 2011 9:05 PM EST up reply actions

Yup and you can't rely on getting everybody in one offseason either.

You’ve got to grab guys when they’re available. Of course, my question would be “is Mark Buehrle a safe bet to be an important cog to a playoff roster” and at his age and skillset, he seems like he’d be a risky bet to me.

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 6, 2011 9:17 PM EST up reply actions

If the Mets can't seriously contend for a playoff spot

Then they shouldn’t be going after a guy like Buerhle. He’s not some young stud who will help the team in the future. He’s an expensive stop gap who will only make the team moderately better in the short term. I could only understand it by signing him to a really cheap contract and trading him at the deadline. But that’s still unlikely given the number of teams in on him.

Regardless, it’s a moot point anyway. If Sandy didn’t have the money for Reyes, he’s not dumb enough to get in a bidding war over Buerhle. The Mets are trying to cut payroll and get younger; there’s just no way something like this gets done.

"I only wanted a few things out of life -- a wife, children, to play baseball and to hunt deer." - Turk Wendell

by Rey-O on Dec 6, 2011 9:29 PM EST up reply actions

He could be trade bait later in the season.

And that would help rebuild.

__________________________________________________
"He who gets the best players usually wins" - Bobby Bowden

by Russ on Dec 7, 2011 9:43 AM EST up reply actions

Rec'd

Also, the more that the Mets lose, the more that their revenues shrink. It’s simply not a binary decision that the team should only be improved if it will contend this year.

__________________________________________________
"He who gets the best players usually wins" - Bobby Bowden

by Russ on Dec 7, 2011 9:43 AM EST up reply actions