The World Series has barely started, and already we're getting rumors about free agents? Bring 'em on, I say. We can spend only so much time talking about two-game slumps and Charlie Manuel's odd tactical moves. So here's Joel Sherman in the New York Post on a couple of veteran pitchers the Mets may be going after, next month:
The Mets plan on targeting Derek Lowe and Brian Fuentes in the free agent market, an NL executive who has talked to team officials told the Post.
The Mets are promising to be creative and explore many avenues. But Lowe (a dependable innings eater) and Fuentes (a proven closer) fit the Mets' top two needs, and are going to be pursued by the organization this offseason.
Lowe, 35, has made at least 32 starts and won at least 12 games in each of the past seven seasons. He is a groundball artist and has experience in the Northeast/playoff cauldron for the Red Sox. He is a Scott Boras client who will have plenty of suitors, including the Yankees, and probably will take well into the offseason to sign.
Fuentes, however, could come off the board quickly because, executives say, his market of around three years at $36 million-$39 million has been established. The Mets have indicated they don't want to pay a big salary to a new closer in addition to paying Billy Wagner, who will miss all of 2009 and whose $13 million contract is not insured. But they have determined their need is great enough and the top closer on the market, Francisco Rodriguez, might cost too much to sign.
Fuentes has 111 saves over the past four seasons, including 30 last year when he pitched to a 2.73 ERA and struck out 82 in 622/3 innings.
He does have an unorthodox delivery, however, that leads to questions about his consistency and susceptibility to injuries.
Derek Lowe's credentials are impeccable. Since arriving in the National League in 2005, he's 11th in the league in ERA and 10th in innings pitched. Since becoming a full-time starter in 2002, he's started at least 32 games every season. One of the game's premier sinker-ballers, Lowe doesn't give up home runs. Put a good infield defense behind him, he'll win 15-18 games.
My only reservation about Lowe is that he'll turn 36 next summer. Will he still be effective when he's 38, 39? I wouldn't be surprised. There's no reason to think he won't be healthy, and Tommy John -- another top sinker-baller -- won 66 games in the four seasons beginning with his age 36 season. I'm not saying Derek Lowe is Tommy John. But I find the comparison illuminating.
Fuentes, too: impeccable. He's been a closer, more or less, for four seasons, and considering his home ballpark (Coors Field) he's been brilliant. As a lefty sidearmer he's particularly tough on left-handed hitters, but he's no picnic for the righties, either.
Of course, it's easy to
say you're going after Lowe and Fuentes. A lot of teams will go after one or both of them. The trick is overpaying enough to get them. But if the Mets
do sign both Lowe and Fuentes, I'd have a real hard time picking some other team to win the NL East next spring.
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In the same column, Sherman explores
Carlos Pena's quick journey from the Yankees to the Red Sox to starring for the Rays. I don't think you can really blame either of those big-money teams, because they were trying to win
then and Pena, spending most of his time in the minors, was
not hitting like a future major league star. Some organizations might have given him a shot in the majors, but the Yankees and Red Sox weren't really in a position to do that. And remember, before the Yankees and the Red Sox, the Rangers and the Athletics and the Tigers also considered Pena mostly disposable.
Sometimes they'll fool you.
Rob Neyer
