Mets Scouting Bronson Arroyo
By Mike Silva ~ March 28th, 2010. Filed under: Mike Silva, Rumor Mill.
Matt Pignataro of Seven Train to Shea is spending some time out in the Cactus League. As you may already know, Matt does some work for a Texas Rangers affiliate in Spokane, Washington.
Today he passed along information regarding the Mets scouting Bronson Arroyo. While talking to Matt via text, he told me that rumors about Gary Matthews to the Reds were untrue and one scout state the Mets could use Daniel Murphy as trade bait for a starting pitcher. Knowing the Reds have Joey Votto makes that an unlikely match for Arroyo.
There were rumblings of the Mets interest in Arroyo this offseason in terms of the Reds dumping payroll in the form of a package that would include Brandon Phillips.
Arroyo is due $11 million this year and an option year for another $11 million or $2 million dollar buyout.
Pignataro did go on to say the Reds would like to move Aaron Harang before Arroyo. Personally I would stay away from Harang, an injury prone pitcher, and someone with declining peripherals since finishing 4th in the Cy Young voting in 2007.
With the way that John Maine, Mike Pelfrey, and Oliver Perez have performed it might be in the Mets interest to take on someone like Arroyo. He will give you innings and has experience pitching in the big spot. The problem is I believe teams would ask for one of the Mets young players (i.e. Fernando Martinez, Ike Davis, Jenrry Mejia) in these deals. I doubt players like Daniel Murphy, Luis Castillo, or Gary Matthews Jr. gets it done unless Cincinnati is in severe cost cutting mode.
March 28th, 2010 at 5:40 pm
Who would trade a good prospect for an avg sp?
March 28th, 2010 at 5:42 pm
TT, what a silly question! The Mets would, of course.
March 28th, 2010 at 10:33 pm
Matt Pignataro is a kid living a dream with press credentials at spring training … good for him. He does a great job with his website.
However, he is hardly a reliable trade runor source, wouldn’t you agree?
I am sure that the Mets are scouting Arroyo — as well as others. Teams do it all the time. But let’s think this through for a minute.
If the Mets did acquire Arroyo, who would he replace in the rotation? Would he become the #5 and bump Niese to AAA? If not, who among Perez, Pelfrey and Maine would be bumped? And will the Mets really pick up an $11M contract with a $2M buyout for 2011 or another $11M? Have the Mets shown any propensity to add significant payroll?
If there was an injury, I could see the Mets seriously kicking tires on Arroyo …. however, they have been committed to Pelfrey-Maine-Perez for two years now and have been especially vocal about them this spring …. I just see a zero percent chance that Arroyo would displace any of them in the rotation right now.
March 28th, 2010 at 10:51 pm
RonOK, yes, and also the other side of it….the Reds are not looking to trade Arroyo. period. All rumors have been shot down by the Reds the last few weeks, and the NY Media keeps perpetuating them. STOP, PEOPLE.