Welcome Back Brady Clark!

[Dalkowski110]

It appears that the outfielder who once hit .417 for the Mets (albeit over a span of ten games) is back on a Minor League deal. If/when Alou is injured, he gives yet another alternative to Ben Johnson and Angel Pagan.

[whoisonit]

It takes a special kind of guy to add the ! to this information.

If there's no thread already started -

who do you think is on the bench OD ?
12 Pitchers or 11 ?
Gotay (no options); stay or go down ?

[Dalkowski110]

"It takes a special kind of guy to add the ! to this information."

But who forgets that Brady Clark was that guy who hit over .400 down the stretch with the Mets? That's special, IMO.

"who do you think is on the bench OD ?"

UTIL C Ramon Castro
UTIL IF Ruben Gotay
UTIL OF Endy Chavez
UTIL IF/OF Damion Easley
PH/UTIL OF/UTIL 2B Marlon Anderson

"12 Pitchers or 11 ?"

Rotation:
-LHP Johan Santana
-RHP Pedro Martinez
-RHP John Maine
-LHP Oliver Perez
-RHP El Duque

Bullpen:
-LRP Jorge Sosa
-MRP/LOOGY Scott Schoneweis
-MRP Matt Wise
-MRP Pedro Feliciano
-MRP/SU Duaner Sanchez
-SU Aaron Heilman
-CL Billy Wagner

That'd be 12.

"Gotay (no options); stay or go down ?"

Probably stay.

[VIBaseball]

This reminds me to ask who the backup first baseman is. Dalko, the only guys you mention for the bench here who played any first at all last year were Easley (14 innings) and Anderson (7 innings). No more Green, Conine, or Franco. If Delgado declines further, who does the club turn to?

I'd rather carry 11 pitchers and have more bench flexibility. I think the starters are capable of carrying more load this year.

[whoisonit]

If Delgado declines further . . .

Is that possible ?

[VIBaseball]

Oh yes, without doubt...as lost as Carlos looked for great stretches of the season, he still put up 24-87-.258. His walks keep declining, though.

I have visions of a possible Jason Giambi 2004 (12-40-.208). The Yankees got Tony Clark to play more 1B that year.

Shawn Green is still unsigned. I wonder what his demands would be if he remains unsigned into the season. He wasn't bad with the glove at 1B from what I recall last year.

[Dalkowski110]

"If Delgado declines further, who does the club turn to?"

Almost certainly Easley. However, I have heard whispers of if not outright moving Gotay to 1B, then just getting him acclamated with the position.

"Shawn Green is still unsigned. I wonder what his demands would be if he remains unsigned into the season."

Two problems:
1) We can't sign him until May because we didn't offer him salary arbitration.
2) Green has stated that unless a west coast team signs him, he'll retire.

[Rotoprofessor]

They did also just signed Olmedo Saenz to a minor league deal, so he could always play a game or two at first base if he makes the team. Personally, I'd rather see the other options play there, but it's an option none-the-less. If Delgado were to go down for an extended period, however, they'd almost certainly have to make a move. They just don't have a long-term, internal option that I see.

I like the signing of Brady Clark, if for nothing else, it adds depth to the organization. After so many injuries in the OF last season, I don't want to see them rushing someone like Fernando Martinez to the majors out of desperation. This way, if there is a problem, they appear to have plenty of capable options available to them, that they wouldn't have to go into a complete panic.

[VIBaseball]

Hmmm...Olmedo is 37 years old and coming off a season where he hit .191 in 110 at-bats. He has a decent amount of career experience at 1B (241 games, 136 starts), doesn't seem to commit errors there (.994), but doesn't seem to get to many balls.

He is officially a butcher at 3B.

There have got to be better options out there. I'd be interested to see if the Mets work Church out some at 1B. I think it's worth a try, although he has never played there in the majors.

[VIBaseball]

Today's NY Post has an indication from Randolph that he'll rest Delgado and Reyes more this year. Anderson and Easley will see time at 1B and possibly also SS, though they may look around for another SS.

[Rotoprofessor]

I feel like they can get away with Easley at SS a lot easier then they can their back-up 1B options. They really don't have a reliable player to slot in there if need be, even on a short-term basis. I'd much rather see them go out and get a capable reserve there, as opposed to getting a back-up SS.

[NYMets523]

They have Olmedo Saenz in AAA.

[Dalkowski110]

Marlon Anderson can probably play first despite the opinions of some people on this thread, I'm sure. Remember, when we picked him up, he mostly played right field and left field in ST with the Dodgers. He didn't really play first in ST. If he gets experience at the position, you'd be surprised how much difference that makes.