Mets Looking At Gil Meche

While the Mets plan to look at Matt Holliday and Jason Bay, and have high hopes that John Lackey's price will come down enough to entice him to accept a four-year offer, they also realize that's an unlikely scenario and are exploring other avenues. They're currently intrigued by Royals righty Gil Meche, according to Joel Sherman.

Meche has two years and $24MM left on his contract, which includes a limited no-trade clause. As we heard earlier tonight, the Royals are working to trim payroll in order to address some needs within their lineup. While Meche (when healthy) is an important part of their rotation, the $24MM owed to him could be better spent improving multiple areas of the team, especially in this economy.

Sherman says the Mets may explore moving Luis Castillo as part of a Meche deal, possibly taking back another bad contract such as Kyle Farnsworth or Juan Cruz if necessary. If it were to happen, Castillo's .387 OBP alone would be of benefit to a Royals team that was starved for OBP last season, posting a team mark of .318, tied for third-worst in baseball.

The Mets are concerned, however, about adding another injury risk to a rotation that already features such question marks as John Maine, Mike Pelfrey, and Oliver Perez. However, most free agent options lack elite talent and/or strong durability.

8 months ago Boots 58 18 comments 0 recs |

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So you're saying we can still get Franceour???

SWEET!

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Dec 7, 2009 11:30 AM EST reply actions 3 recs

Hate, hate, hate

I still don’t understand the view that Gil Meche isn’t an asset. Clearly, they’re already viewing him as a net negative for the team if part of the deal is that we have to eat Luis Castillo. Yes, he has some positive value, but there’s no way you’re going to convince me that paying him $6M for his age 34 and 35 seasons with at least 1 of those a Royals losing season is a good idea in the least.

We’ve already established 2010 is not a competitive year for the Royals so dumping payroll just to do it seem stupid, at best, to me. If, and I realize this is a big if, Gil can come back healthy and pitch like he has the first two years of his contract, he suddenly goes from “crap, we have to unearth ourselves from Luis Castillo” to “legit, good prospects”. We’re not talking about a “Jose Guillen might learn how to not suck and unicorns might fly out of Kauffman” level event.

Meche was worth $18M and $22M before suffering through an injury-plagued $7M value last season. Can someone explain to me why people are so eager to dump Meche?!? Why not hold him while his trade value is at its lowest as we lose nothing but payroll flexibility during a losing season? And then, if we feel we must trade him for a possible winning season, actually get a much better return on investment?

This trade Meche reasoning is just maddening.

by sterlingice on Dec 7, 2009 11:31 AM EST reply actions 2 recs

Can someone explain to me why people are so eager to dump Meche?!?

Because he makes too much money. We have to trade his salary to free up money so Dayton can overpay on a less valuable player.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Dec 7, 2009 11:51 AM EST up reply actions

Contuining the trend of facetiousness (is that even a word)...

The Cardinals should be trying to get rid of Pujols because he gets paid a lot, too. I mean, payroll flexibility is more important than actually getting value out of the payroll you spend.

by sterlingice on Dec 7, 2009 12:14 PM EST up reply actions

If they weren't going to be contenders I would agree with that statement

They should get value for later in the form of prospects.

by AxDxMx on Dec 7, 2009 12:29 PM EST up reply actions

Pujols gets paid very little compared to his production

and the Cardinals are potential contenders

Meche has been productive in the past, but is unlikely to be worth more than his remaining contract. The Royals will not contend in 2010 or 2011, even if Dayton Moore is fired today and replaced with a good GM.

It’s nothing against Meche. The first two years were great. Now it’s time to move on.

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by Matt Klaassen on Dec 7, 2009 1:07 PM EST up reply actions

We Would Have

To get something better than Castillo to make the deal worth doing. If I trusted Trey to use him wisely I’d be for waiting for the trade deadline and shopping him then, but I’m not sure his right arm will still be attached by then. I’d definitely listen to offers now, I just don’t like this one much.

I used to be an A's fan until they left town and got good.

by philofthenorth on Dec 7, 2009 1:24 PM EST up reply actions

I wouldn't do it for Castillo straight up either

I'm not a sabermetrician, but I do play one at FanGraphs.

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by Matt Klaassen on Dec 7, 2009 1:37 PM EST up reply actions

Meche/Callaspo

For Pagan/Santos/Castillo/Franceour

Mark it. It is destiny.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Dec 7, 2009 2:07 PM EST up reply actions

I don't know

I can only assume people are afraid that he is going to break down completely and be a DL stalwart for the rest of the contract. Which may have an ounce of justification to it, but certainly not enough to go about unloading him at any cost.

by kcbottom9th on Dec 7, 2009 12:17 PM EST up reply actions

I don't think we're eager to dump Meche

I think that’s more of the media in NY playing down his value to make their points that Omar sucks.

Coffee. The NEW Performance Enhancing drug for Sport's Writers. Just ask Ken Rosenthal.

by 306008 on Dec 7, 2009 12:37 PM EST up reply actions

Yea

Sportswriters don’t seem to distinguish between “Team X is shopping this player” vs. “Team X is asking about this player.”

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Dec 7, 2009 1:09 PM EST up reply actions

If we take Castillo, I would imagine we get more than that

Probably Pagan and a prospect. I don’t know about you but I’d take Castillo’s OBP from the 2B/DH slot and rotate him with Callaspo. Hell, Castillo or Callaspo could probably play a better RF than Guillen.

by AxDxMx on Dec 7, 2009 12:31 PM EST up reply actions

Meche's value

In a vacuum, it’s pretty low based on last season with the injury and performance issues. However, in the context of the starting pitching free agency market, it’s actually pretty high. Outside of Lackey, there doesn’t seem to be much out there. And besides Halladay, I haven’t heard of any significant starting (non-free-agent) pitchers that are on the block.

"Now…put that in your [BLEEP]ing pipe and smoke it." -Hal McRae

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by Sweep_the_Leg on Dec 7, 2009 12:35 PM EST up reply actions

I don't see Castillo coming to the Royals, least of all for Meche

The Royals currently are stocked at second, with Callaspo and Getz, plus Aviles can play second (whether he’ll be allowed to, ever, by the Royals is another story).

I might trade Hoagie for Castillo in a swap for bad contracts. And getting rid of Professor Tatersworth is certainly appealing. But the Royals aren’t going to contend in 2010. I’d rather conserve our resources now, make a smart trade or two, and wait for 2011, when close to $20MM in salary comes off the books with Guillen, Cruz, and the Professor becoming free agents. I’d rather the Royals take that $20 mil and afford an All-Star caliber player then rather than get rid of Meche now.

by DarthYoshi on Dec 7, 2009 12:00 PM EST reply actions

Meche's value maybe highest at the July deadline as well

If he’s having a solid year (which he will) then we could throw out the one and a half years of a solid starting pitcher type of deal that Halladay had on him this last year. And we saw what they turned down for Halladay. Now, we aren’t going to get that type of deal, but 5 top of the line prospects for Halladay showed how desperate some teams where… I imagine we could get 3.

Coffee. The NEW Performance Enhancing drug for Sport's Writers. Just ask Ken Rosenthal.

by 306008 on Dec 7, 2009 12:39 PM EST up reply actions

Meche won't have quite the rep/value in trade that Halladay had

That being said, yeah, if Meche rebounds, he could be a very valuable player come July 31. If the Royals feel like (or, more precisely, are justified in feeling like) they may contend in 2011, it would be worth keeping Meche around.

by DarthYoshi on Dec 7, 2009 7:40 PM EST up reply actions

Suggested this was going to happen many months ago.

I think Meche and Guillen and cash for Pagan might be the deal. In any case, the Royals should deal Meche and go after other international signings instead of paying his salary since we will not be competing this year or next year. Its a good plan, there is an opportunity cost in keeping Meche and paying him 6 million before we trade him. For example, that 20 million fireballer Cuban is still out there, maybe we can sign him too.

Go Royals!

by BabyBlues on Dec 7, 2009 1:06 PM EST reply actions