Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe lists Ryan Lavarnway and Jarrod Saltalamacchia among players the Red Sox could still move this winter.
However, Abraham isn’t sure what the Red Sox might be able to receive in return for either catcher.
In November, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports said Boston has been shopping Saltalamacchia, indicating their desire to keep Lavarnway for the long-term.
Last week, Sandy Alderson told reporters he would like to add another catcher before the start of Spring Training, and at least create some depth at Triple-A.
Michael Baron, MetsBlog.com:
I’m not sure how Saltalamacchia might fit now that the Mets acquired
John Buck and
Travis D’Arnaud. On the one hand, I expect the Mets will wait on promoting D’Arnaud until late April so to delay his free agency by a year. And, while I think D’Arnaud is close, there’s really no way to know if he will be ready in April, which helps explain Sandy’s desire to add more catching. On the other hand, if D’Arnaud is ready as expected and the Mets acquire Saltalamacchia, the Mets would have three catchers (making between $10-11 million combined in 2013) on the roster, creating a logjam and lack of roster flexibility.
It’s also worth noting Saltalamacchia can become a free agent after the 2013 season, and so I’d be hesitant to part with a significant, controllable part for one year of service.
Statistics and information on Jarrod Saltalamacchia...
Stats: In 121 games for the Red Sox in 2012, Saltalamacchia hit .221 with a .288 OBP and a .454 SLG, 25 home runs and 59 RBI in 448 plate appearances.
Contract: Saltalamacchia, 27, signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract to avoid arbitration in his second year of eligibility. He can become a free agent after the 2013 season.
According to Andy Martino of the Daily News, the Mets and Blue Jays talked during the Winter Meetings about various deals.
According to Martino, the Mets and Jays met both yesterday and on Monday, and while rival executives believe the Mets like Travis D’Arnaud, the Blue Jays appear more inclined to move J.P. Arencibia.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports said last weekend the Blue Jays are most likely to trade Arencibia, and the Mets and Jays have discussed a deal for Arencibia around Jon Niese.
Matthew Cerrone, MetsBlog.com:
The way I understand, contrary to Rosenthal’s report, any deal for Arencibia would be for Mets pitching prospects, not necessarily Niese or R.A. Dickey… though I suppose if they wanted it could all come together in a larger deal sending a better bat to the Mets as well << click to tweet this.
The Mets and Jays talked a lot last season, so much so that people close to the team often mentioned Jon Niese and d’Arnaud in the same potential deal. No trade ever materalized. But with Ricciardi’s knowledge of Toronto’s farm system, it stands to reason these teams would be talking again.
Michael Baron, MetsBlog.com:
Arencibia isn’t eligible for arbitration until next winter, meaning he is under control for at least four seasons. I worry about his ability to hit outside of the American League East and in a more pitcher-friendly division like the National League East. But given the low-cost commitment it’s a small gamble to take, assuming the price is right in trade.
The Mets made little progress in trade talks for a catcher this week, Sandy Alderson told reporters this morning.
Right now, he said, if the season started today, Josh Thole and Anthony Recker would likely split time at catcher.
“If the Mets go the free-agent route at catcher, Miguel Olivo is now their top target,” a major league source told ESPN New York yesterday.
The Mets claimed Recker off waivers from the Cubs in late October.
Recker, 29, played for the A’s and Cubs last season, spending time in both organization’s minor league systems.
He made Oakland’s Opening Day roster and hit .129 in 13 games before being optioned to Triple-A Sacramento. He was designated for assignment on August 20 and traded to the Cubs the next week.
In 18 at bats with Chicago, he hit just 167 with a home run and four RBI in nine games.
A “Major League source” told Adam Rubin of ESPN New York that if they decide to go to the free agent market to fill their catching vacancy, their top target is Miguel Olivo.
However, SNY’s Kevin Burkhardt says the Mets would prefer to fill the position via trade, as they aren’t thrilled with either Olivo or Yorvit Torrealba.
In 87 games for the Mariners in 2012, Olivo, 34, hit .222 with a .239 OBP, 11 home runs and 29 RBI with 87 strikeouts in 323 plate appearances over 87 games.
He signed a two-year, $7 million contract before the 2011 season. The Mariners held a $3 million option on Olivo for 2013, but they recently announced they would decline the option, making him a free agent.
Matthew Cerrone, MetsBlog.com:
Olivo is terrible. I’m not sure I’d sign him even he agreed to pay his own salary. There is nothing about him that seems to fit with this team’s approach at the plate. He knows how put the catcher’s equipment on, I’ll give him that. The rest is a mystery to me.
Michael Baron, MetsBlog.com:
I’d rather have Shoppach. He is better than Olivo. During August and September, he was praised for his work with the pitching staff, most notably with the bullpen and getting them to pitch inside more. In turn, the results out of the bullpen improved. Yet on Monday, Burkhardt said on SNY’s Hot Stove, the Mets are not interested in bringing Shoppach back. Neither Shoppach nor Olivo are going to be dynamic offensive players, but Olivo strikes out a ton and hardly ever walks, which doesn’t exactly speak to the approach the organization is trying to preach.
The Red Sox have not yet begun to feel out a market for their catching surplus (Boston Herald).
The Blue Jays claimed Eli Whiteside of waivers from the Yankees.
Michael Baron, MetsBlog.com:
Toronto now has four catchers on their 40-man roster: Whiteside,
J.P. Arencibia,
Travis D’Arnoud, and
John Buck. I wonder if they did that as a precursor for a deal? They’re not carrying four catchers on their active roster, so it seems like they’re setup to make a move. Jim Duquette said on SiriusXM Radio that he thinks the Mets and Jays matchup on a deal around R.A. Dickey and Arencibia, and he says if the Blue Jays were to add OF
Anthony Gose in a deal it would be a strong package for the Mets to consider. I agree with Duquette, but it remains to be seen if that comes to fruition.
It is highly unlikely the Mets bring back free-agent C Kelly Shoppach, nor are they interested in free-agent C Jesus Flores, reports ESPN New York’s Adam Rubin, citing a major league official.
The Mets also are not impressed with Red Sox C Jarrod Saltalamacchia, according to multiple reports and sources.
Earlier today, the New York Post reported that Sandy Alderson is trying to acquire a catcher who, “at the very least,” can split time with C Josh Thole next season, “if not take the starting job outright.”
Matthew Cerrone, MetsBlog.com:
Frankly, I’m not impressed with any of these people either. I still think the team is more likely to acquire a catcher in a potential trade, be it a J.P. Arencibia, or some one else, though I don’t expect him to be the key component of the deal. Or, if no trade materializes they’ll begrudgingly sign a free-agent, maybe Matt Treanor, and learn to live with him for a year.
They Red Sox are listening to offers for Jarrod Saltamacchia now that they have signed Mike Napoli (CBS Sports). C prospect Ryan Lavarnway isn’t ready to handle the pitching staff, but they want newly-signed David Ross to mentor him through that process (Nick Cafardo, Boston Globe). Red Sox GM Ben Cherington said its possible all three catchers could be on the roster in 2013 (Providence Journal).
During SNY’s Mets Hot Stove tonight, Kevin Burkhardt, David Lennon of Newsday, and Andy Martino of the Daily News all said the Mets are not impressed with Lavarnway and free agents Jesus Flores and Kelly Shoppach.
White Sox GM Rick Hahn is confident young catcher Tyler Flowers can handle the starting job if A.J. Pierzynski signs elsewhere (Chicago Tribune).
Michael Baron, MetsBlog.com:
Saltalamacchia is a switch hitter who has developed some power since joining the Red Sox. He strikes out a lot, but he doesn’t seem to be affected by the short dimensions at Fenway, where he hit 12 home runs. He strikes out a lot, doesn’t walk very much, and there have been some concerns about his game-calling and overall defense. Also, he
really struggled against left-handed pitching in 2012. If the Mets were to acquire Saltalamacchia, it would be hard to create an effective platoon with Josh Thole. I also worry about how he might fare in the bigger ballparks in the National League East.
It’s also worth noting Saltalamacchia will likely earn around $4 million through arbitration this winter, and can become a free agent after the 2013 season, and so I’d be hesitant to part with a controllable part for one year of service.
FoxSports.com’s Ken Rosenthal told MLB Network that the Red Sox are not likely to trade C Jarrod Saltalamacchia, despite signing free-agent C-1B Mike Napoli earlier today.
According to Rosenthal, Napoli was signed to play first base (not catcher) and the Red Sox prefer top C prospect Ryan Lavarnway begin his season at Triple-A.
ESPN Boston reported earlier today that the Mets and Red Sox met to discuss R.A. Dickey, with the Mets requesting two of their top prospects.
“Saltalamacchia would seem to be a piece in any talks for Dickey,” Boston reporter Sean McAdam said on Twitter. However, he adds, a source told him the Mets believe they can do better at catcher.
Frankly, McAdam says, though the Mets are willing to listen on Dickey, the Red Sox have not shown interest.
To take it a step further, Andy Martino of the Daily News says the Mets never asked Boston for any specific players, despite the ESPN report.
Matthew Cerrone, MetsBlog.com:
OK. So, it reads like the Red Sox took a meeting with the Mets, as is customary at these meeting, during which the hinted at, or wondered about SS prospect Xander Bogaerts and center fielder Jack Bradley, Jr., but probably not Saltalamacchia. The Red Sox had no interest in Dickey, so that’s where the conversation ended…
Sandy Alderson is trying to acquire a catcher who, “at the very least,” can split time with C Josh Thole next season, “if not take the starting job outright,” Mike Puma writes in the New York Post.
Matthew Cerrone, MetsBlog.com:
The Mets aren’t going to go after A.J. Pierzynski or Mike Napoli, or any other catcher that will cost them more than a one-year deal, I believe.
As such, Puma mentions Jesus Flores, Kelly Shoppach and Miguel Olivo, as well as Blue Jays C J.P. Arencibia and Red Sox C Jarrod Saltalamacchia, as players that will likely interest the Mets… and, I think that’s probably right.
The Mets would be nuts to trade one of R.A. Dickey or Jon Niese in a deal for Arencibia or Saltalamacchia, unless they’re simply part of what would be a larger, more significant deal.
