Offseason Discussion - Positions Players/Bench

[Swifty]

No matter how you slice it, for 2010 to be a success you're counting on JJ, Nolasco, Coghlan and one of Maybin/Volstad along with Hanley's health.

Inevitably, one if not two will let you down while one player (I'll go with Uggla if we keep him) overachieves enough to make you forget that player X let you down.

The $45 million roster probably has to be assumed to be a +.500 squad, but 90 wins is a lot to ask out of a team playing in, yeah I'll go ahead and say it, the best division in baseball. Screw the AL East, 1-4, no one has anything close to the NL East and our doormat should probably win around 70-74 this season.

I think the Mets were good for a 10 win improvement before they got Bay, I think the Phillies can easily win 100 and I think that both the Marlins and Braves could finish with 80 wins just as easily as they could with 90 or more. There's so much talent in this division now it's retarded, especially if we keep Uggla and don't have to move salary elsewhere.

[Fish and Chips]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10010/1027233-63.stm

According to a couple of sources Pirates Minor Leaguer Neil Walker, former 1st round pick, is likely to be traded. He stuck between current MLB stopgap Andy LaRoche and top prospect Pedro Alvarez, at third base. So neither he is trade, or switch to another position. He could be a interesting pickup, with a chance to develop into a decent MLB starter, or a nice bench player.

From what i read, he has power, MLB ready glove, and some versatility.
Last year in the IL(AAA), he had a .216 ISO, and generally had a above average ISO every year in the minor league. So i really like his power potential, and that would be great in the hot-corner.
Also he is considered a good 3B, and with a good arm strength, so at worse he is a average fielding 3B

He does have major flaws though, he doesn't walk enough, only havig a 6.8% BB rate. But also doesnt strikeout a lot, with a nice 16.9% SO rate. And his ob% is low, at .311 in AAA. But he has a high slg, and that some what offsets his low ob%.

At worst he is a cheap 3B, with enough athleticism to play other positions, and develop into a nice utility player. At best, he hit for contact enough, while blasting 15-20hrs, and playing good defense at 3B.

He cant have much value to the pirates, and probably the marlins wont have to give up anything decent to get him. And throw him into the 3B/1B competition with boner, gaby, jimenez, and Richar.

thoughts?

[PitchingWinsGames]

Sounds like a 3B version of Jacobs with less HR power, just... average (?) at defense.

blahblahdependsonwhatittakesblahblah and as long as it keeps Boner off that starting 3B spot

[m26555]

The Mets are one of three teams interested in Frank Catalanotto, tweets Jon Heyman of SI.com. The Brewers and Marlins are "believed to be" Catalanotto's other suitors. The 35-year-old hit .278/.346/.382 in a part-time role for the Brewers last year, playing at second and in left and right.

I like Catalanotto a lot.

[nny]

Yeah I'd love for Cat to take over Gload's roll, and Cat/BC platoon if somebody goes down would be real nice starting material. We were supposedly in on him last year.

[FishFanInPA]

The Mets will blow our offer out the water prolly

[m26555]

The Mets haven't been blowing anyone's offers out of the water. No one seems to want to play for them, either.

[Ramp]

Jason Bay wanted to play for them

[Chewford]

Everyone knows Canadians don't count.

[nny]

isn't the only reason bay signed with them is because nobody else wante dhim?

[m26555]

Jason Bay wanted to play for them

Bay did not want to go there. The only reason why he signed there was because there were no other offers.

[Ramp]

I'm sure there were offers for him. Let's not kid ourselves here

[Swifty]

None that were as lucrative as the Mets' offer though. And yes, I realize that's kind of why anyone signs with the team they do, but the market for Bay was slim and it was downright non-existant north of $50 mil.

[m26555]

The Mets have signed Frank Catalanotto to a minor league deal, tweets Marc Carig of The Star-Ledger.

Oh well.

[wanks1212]

The Marlins are considering free agent first baseman/outfielder Darin Erstad, among others, for the role filled in 2009 by Ross Gload, now with Philadelphia. . . . Florida spoke with ex-Marlins first baseman Carlos Delgado's agent and would have interest in him as a low-money backup/pinch hitter. But Delgado wants substantial money and playing time.

http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/co...y/1471705.html

Scrappiness FTW.