All true. The pitching market is crazy. While Tong clearly needs more experience in AAA, I think Sproat is ready to roll. Ranger Suarez is younger and perhaps a more attractive acquisition than Valdez? Hurting the Phillies would be a bonus.
And has never qualified for an ERA title in his career because of injuries and averaging 5 IP a game. What is so difficult about signing the guy who has been the best regular and postseason (out of this crop of FA’s), the most durable, and who posts the most innings per start. I also bet if they go 5 for the rumored AAV and a buyout they get him. Signing King is a half measure like the Wilpons signing Jason Bay instead of Matt Holiday.
To me King would have the best upside. Valdez and 6 years is a bit scary but thinking about it guys who aren’t going full bore every pitch probably ages better. Heck, I’d be fine with Quintana in the back end even Bassit on a 2 year deal. Have that guy helping McClean? Get the trophy case ready for more hardware adding more Cy Young’s. Skubal has to be on everyone’s wishlist though. Right? That link has been made since before the season ended and while it’s all wishlist click bait where there’s smoke there’s fire in the hot stove season. I’ll take em all. Get rid of the dead weight on this team. Let’s go dammit!
A couple things. Doesn’t trading g for Semien alter the calculus regartbeing a ground ball pitcher with GG Caliber IF D up the middle. Secondly, removing Nimmo from LF is a positive not negative. Lastly, Framber is not going to sign for 1-3 years and there is a reason King will be cheap. He has one good season and is perennially hurt. Last year was not good for him as his K rate dropped more than 1 per inning, he gave up 65% more HR’s per 9 and had various injuries that held him to 73 IP. Give me the stud who may only be elite 3 more years over the guy who is a huge question mark just because he is cheaper. We got her because we were cheap and signed guys with warts. Don’t repeat that mistake.
A couple things. Doesn’t trading g for Semien alter the calculus regartbeing a ground ball pitcher with GG Caliber IF D up the middle. Secondly, removing Nimmo from LF is a positive not negative. Lastly, Framber is not going to sign for 1-3 years and there is a reason King will be cheap. He has one good season and is perennially hurt. Last year was not good for him as his K rate dropped more than 1 per inning, he gave up 65% more HR’s per 9 and had various injuries that held him to 73 IP. Give me the stud who may only be elite 3 more years over the guy who is a huge question mark just because he is cheaper. We got her because we were cheap and signed guys with warts. Don’t repeat that mistake.
You guys are forgetting the most important thing about Valdez. He intentionally crossed up his catcher and hit him with a fastball in the chest. Now, that happened with the Astros, how’s he gonna react during a bad stretch getting booed by 40,000 fans at Citi field? Are we gonna have another lopez situation and be the laughing stock of the MLB again? He shouldn’t even be considered for a contract
By nature FA’ pitchers are expensive. You can bury your head in the sand and or if you are going to compete for a WS championship and have more resources than any other team you have to participate. Valdez is far better and more of a sure thing than King who had 1 good year regardless of a 2 year age difference. I don’t go 6 but absolutely go 5. $50+m for Soto on a 14 year deal makes no sense on the backend either. But you do it.
Hard disagree. I'm not paying over $1 million per start for 13-11 3.66 ERA.
The hope is this is a bounce year, of course. Valdez tends to do that: 17-6, then 12-11, then 15-7, then 13-11. Catch him on the upswing and get a 16-8 with a sub-3.00 ERA and that's a good get.
But not at that price. And those years. That's an entire bullpen every year, less Sugar.
All true. The pitching market is crazy. While Tong clearly needs more experience in AAA, I think Sproat is ready to roll. Ranger Suarez is younger and perhaps a more attractive acquisition than Valdez? Hurting the Phillies would be a bonus.
And has never qualified for an ERA title in his career because of injuries and averaging 5 IP a game. What is so difficult about signing the guy who has been the best regular and postseason (out of this crop of FA’s), the most durable, and who posts the most innings per start. I also bet if they go 5 for the rumored AAV and a buyout they get him. Signing King is a half measure like the Wilpons signing Jason Bay instead of Matt Holiday.
FWIW - The Hector Gomez who reported the possible Valdez signing is the brother of Gilbert Gomez, newly hired Met 1B coach
Over the past 2 seasons, 59 starts, Valdez has averaged 6.2 innings per start
Over the past two seasons, 45 starts, King has averaged 5.5 innings per start
I wonder what fans think?.....Valdez or King.. The Mets DO need a guy that eats innings.
They just traded for a fairly expensive defensive 2B.Per Baseball-Reference:
Valdez' ground ball % for 2025 was 58.3 and for his career 61.5%.
King's ground ball % for 2025 was 38.6 and for his career 41.7%
I think they prefer Valdez, but that doesn't mean that's who they sign
To me King would have the best upside. Valdez and 6 years is a bit scary but thinking about it guys who aren’t going full bore every pitch probably ages better. Heck, I’d be fine with Quintana in the back end even Bassit on a 2 year deal. Have that guy helping McClean? Get the trophy case ready for more hardware adding more Cy Young’s. Skubal has to be on everyone’s wishlist though. Right? That link has been made since before the season ended and while it’s all wishlist click bait where there’s smoke there’s fire in the hot stove season. I’ll take em all. Get rid of the dead weight on this team. Let’s go dammit!
A couple things. Doesn’t trading g for Semien alter the calculus regartbeing a ground ball pitcher with GG Caliber IF D up the middle. Secondly, removing Nimmo from LF is a positive not negative. Lastly, Framber is not going to sign for 1-3 years and there is a reason King will be cheap. He has one good season and is perennially hurt. Last year was not good for him as his K rate dropped more than 1 per inning, he gave up 65% more HR’s per 9 and had various injuries that held him to 73 IP. Give me the stud who may only be elite 3 more years over the guy who is a huge question mark just because he is cheaper. We got her because we were cheap and signed guys with warts. Don’t repeat that mistake.
A couple things. Doesn’t trading g for Semien alter the calculus regartbeing a ground ball pitcher with GG Caliber IF D up the middle. Secondly, removing Nimmo from LF is a positive not negative. Lastly, Framber is not going to sign for 1-3 years and there is a reason King will be cheap. He has one good season and is perennially hurt. Last year was not good for him as his K rate dropped more than 1 per inning, he gave up 65% more HR’s per 9 and had various injuries that held him to 73 IP. Give me the stud who may only be elite 3 more years over the guy who is a huge question mark just because he is cheaper. We got her because we were cheap and signed guys with warts. Don’t repeat that mistake.
You guys are forgetting the most important thing about Valdez. He intentionally crossed up his catcher and hit him with a fastball in the chest. Now, that happened with the Astros, how’s he gonna react during a bad stretch getting booed by 40,000 fans at Citi field? Are we gonna have another lopez situation and be the laughing stock of the MLB again? He shouldn’t even be considered for a contract
Man, going north of $30 million per for Framber Valdez strikes me as a wicked overpay. Good pitcher, but that's off the hook.
By nature FA’ pitchers are expensive. You can bury your head in the sand and or if you are going to compete for a WS championship and have more resources than any other team you have to participate. Valdez is far better and more of a sure thing than King who had 1 good year regardless of a 2 year age difference. I don’t go 6 but absolutely go 5. $50+m for Soto on a 14 year deal makes no sense on the backend either. But you do it.
Hard disagree. I'm not paying over $1 million per start for 13-11 3.66 ERA.
The hope is this is a bounce year, of course. Valdez tends to do that: 17-6, then 12-11, then 15-7, then 13-11. Catch him on the upswing and get a 16-8 with a sub-3.00 ERA and that's a good get.
But not at that price. And those years. That's an entire bullpen every year, less Sugar.