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Monday, January 09, 2012

Source: F-Mart, Herrera on way out

F-Mart is now eligible for the Met Hall of Busted Prospects, which will induct Lastings Milledge later this year.

One-time top prospect Fernando Martinez as well as left-hander Daniel Herrera may be in their final days with the organization. A source told ESPNNewYork.com that both players are on waivers to clear the roster spots for Scott Hairston and Ronny Cedeno.

Martinez, 23, has faded as a prospect because of continual leg injuries. Even when healthy, an arthritic knee limits his mobility in the outfield. If Martinez clears waivers, the Mets can option him to Triple-A Buffalo. But Martinez’s reputation could prompt another team to claim him at least to take a shot.

Martinez hit .227 in 11 games with the Mets last

RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: January 09, 2012 at 07:06 PM | 33 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
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1. Arbitol Dijaler Posted: January 09, 2012 at 08:36 PM (#4032665)

Martinez, 23, has faded as a prospect because of continual leg injuries.

That, and lack of a batting eye or the type of size that can naturally lead to power hitting. Other than that, he was right on the doorstep before injuries derailed him.

2. Something Other Posted: January 09, 2012 at 08:41 PM (#4032670)

I was always stuck on F!'s modest on base average, which never--iirc--MLE'd to better than .299.

It's a shame, though. I would have liked to have seen him succeed. Maybe he can find an organization willing to try him at 1B or DH in AAA, and see if he can not break for a season.

3. Elvis Posted: January 09, 2012 at 08:53 PM (#4032677)

In his first exposure to Triple-A, Martinez put up an .877 OPS as a 20 year old. He did that with a .316 BABIP. It's a shame that injuries and strikeouts have eaten him alive. Still, I think he's got more of a shot to contribute on the major league level than Josh Stinson.

4. OCD SS Posted: January 09, 2012 at 09:01 PM (#4032682)

So it turns out that the Twins got the right OF prospect in the Santana trade after all?

5. Banta Posted: January 09, 2012 at 09:23 PM (#4032695)

Well there goes my shot at fame for dubbing him the Fernanchise.

I know that he's probably never gonna contribute, but you'd think that he has a better chance of being a part of The Next Good Met Team than Ronny F. Cedeno.

I honestly can't tell any difference between the moves this offseason and the latter-day Minaya moves.

6. Something Other Posted: January 09, 2012 at 09:29 PM (#4032701)

@5: It IS getting creepy that way, isn't it?

7. Banta Posted: January 09, 2012 at 09:33 PM (#4032704)

It IS getting creepy that way, isn't it?

It's beginning to look a lot like Jeffy!

8. Crispix Attacks Posted: January 09, 2012 at 09:33 PM (#4032706)

Basebal America's #20 prospect in preseason 2008. And he's still only 23.

Others whose careers have not been great:
#3 Joba Chamberlain
#8 Franklin Morales
#9 Homer Bailey
#11 Travis Snider
#15 Jake McGee
#16 Brandon Wood
#23 Matt LaPorta
#25 Jordan Schafer
#27 Chris Marrero
#29 Adam Miller
#31 Andy Laroche
#33 Angel Villalona
#35 Deolis Guerra
#37 Jose Tabata
#40 Lars Anderson

So it turns out that the Twins got the right OF prospect in the Santana trade after all?

Yeah, but you had to give up #35 Deolis Guerra.

9. Lassus Posted: January 09, 2012 at 09:53 PM (#4032719)

The Fernando thing is a sad, common prospect story. But to lose him to keep Hairston strikes me as insane.

I am sorry Hererra was cut. Yes, yes, of course he's probably going to suck, but he hadn't at all so far and was fun to root for.

10. Benji Posted: January 09, 2012 at 10:23 PM (#4032737)

Why did they bother with the pretense of a "trade"? They had no plans for Herrera or Rosario. Do they really have that little respect for us? I know Rosario hasn't been released yet, but this was a guy the Orioles refused to pay $5,000 to take back.

11. jwb Posted: January 09, 2012 at 10:38 PM (#4032751)

If Martinez clears waivers, the Mets can option him to Triple-A Buffalo.

Rubin wanted a job in the Mets' front office, right?

12. Arbitol Dijaler Posted: January 09, 2012 at 10:43 PM (#4032756)

I am sorry Hererra was cut. Yes, yes, of course he's probably going to suck, but he hadn't at all so far and was fun to root for.

Hey, ZiPS said he was our best reliever before the mighty Frank Francisco showed up.

13. Elvis Posted: January 09, 2012 at 10:53 PM (#4032764)

Last year, Collins got Byrdak to face a lefty 65% of the time, which is a pretty good feat for a LOOGY. Herrera has a lifetime .588 OPS versus lefties. They could have made a case for keeping Herrera for minimum wage rather than pay a slight premium for Byrdak. But it was going to be tough to keep two LOOGYs on the staff.

14. MM1f Posted: January 09, 2012 at 10:54 PM (#4032766)

I am sorry Hererra was cut. Yes, yes, of course he's probably going to suck, but he hadn't at all so far and was fun to root for.

Agreed. Danny Ray Herrera is awesome. One of my favorite players in baseball.

15. Dock Ellis on Acid

Posted: January 09, 2012 at 10:54 PM (#4032767)

Others whose careers have not been great:

Of the dudes on that list, Jose Tabata has the best chance to turn into something.

16. Darren

Posted: January 09, 2012 at 11:17 PM (#4032784)

What's wrong with Herrera? We're not selling Big and Tall jeans here.

17. Lassus Posted: January 10, 2012 at 12:05 AM (#4032822)

What's wrong with Herrera?

No neck tattoo, probably.

18. Something Other Posted: January 10, 2012 at 04:18 AM (#4032920)

Reminds me of a guy I know slightly from the neighborhood, an odd duck who hangs out at the same coffee shop I do. One afternoon he shows up brutally hung over with a very elaborate neck tattoo that had to have measured at least ten inches long by five inches wide. Some woman's name surrounded by all manner of filigree. Apparently he had been out to a "gentleman's club" the previous evening and had fallen completely in love with one of the strippers, and to show the intensity of his devotion had her name tattoo'ed on his neck.

It was admirable, in a strange sort of way.

19. Long John McCaine Mutiny on the Bounty (scott) Posted: January 10, 2012 at 04:52 AM (#4032922)

It was admirable, in a strange sort of way.

- Overheard amongst NY sports writers after hearing Jeff Wilpon admit that he and his father was destroying the team for his own sadistic enjoyment.

20. Tim Stauffer, Trot Nixon's Coming (Dan Lee) Posted: January 10, 2012 at 06:02 AM (#4032926)

Is Fernando Martinez-Alex Escobar still a BS/same-race comp (post 34 in this link), or am I now allowed to compare strike zone-impaired toolsy injury-prone Mets organization can't miss center fielders who missed?

21. Lassus Posted: January 10, 2012 at 07:50 AM (#4032940)

Didn't an Escobar injury cause him to miss? Not being prone, but one injury?

22. Tim Stauffer, Trot Nixon's Coming (Dan Lee) Posted: January 10, 2012 at 07:56 AM (#4032942)

Didn't an Escobar injury cause him to miss? Not being prone, but one injury?

He missed nearly all of 1999 with shoulder and back injuries, blew out his ACL and missed all of 2002, and missed a goodly chunk of his last MLB season (2006) with a hammy injury.

edit to add: ...and was limited to 51 minor league ABs in 2007 after a neck injury.

23. formerly dp Posted: January 10, 2012 at 08:44 AM (#4032953)

We'll never know, but I'm wondering what the best offer Omar ever got for Martinez was.

24. Lassus Posted: January 10, 2012 at 08:51 AM (#4032955)

Ah, thanks Dan. After the first one I probably stopped paying attention.

25. Double-Spin Mechanic Posted: January 10, 2012 at 08:54 AM (#4032958)

Of the dudes on that list, Jose Tabata has the best chance to turn into something.

Whaddya talkin' about?!? Joba Chamberlain - future WWE Intercontinental Champion, at least!

26. Tim Stauffer, Trot Nixon's Coming (Dan Lee) Posted: January 10, 2012 at 08:55 AM (#4032959)

No prob, Lassus. I paid particular attention to Escobar because he was supposed to be the crown jewel in the Roberto Alomar trade. Not that Alomar did anything after he left Cleveland, of course.

27. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Griffin (Vlad) Posted: January 10, 2012 at 09:34 AM (#4032977)

I think F-Mart has an option left, too, doesn't he?

Seems like a strange decision.

28. RB in NYC (Now with New iPhone!) Posted: January 10, 2012 at 09:51 AM (#4032991)

Seems pretty early to be writing off a lot of the guys on that list. I would say Joba and Tabata have the best shot at decent careers, but Homer Bailey or Travis Snider could turn it around and surprise you.

29. JJ1986 Posted: January 10, 2012 at 10:03 AM (#4032999)

I think F-Mart has an option left, too, doesn't he?

Seems like a strange decision.

By my count, the Mets have 15 other guys who shouldn't open the season in the majors. (Carson, Familia, Hefner, Mejia, A-Rod, Schwinden, Stinson, Flores, Havens, Lutz, Satin, Valdespin, Lagares, Nieuwenhuis and Puello.) If F-Mart isn't going to stick, this might be the best time to try and sneak him through.

30. chris h. is a member of Team Keefe! Posted: January 10, 2012 at 01:00 PM (#4033205)

I think F-Mart has an option left, too, doesn't he?

Seems like a strange decision.

Really? If he had an option left, why would they need to waive him to move him down to AAA?

31. Mark S. Posted: January 10, 2012 at 01:13 PM (#4033212)

Really? If he had an option left, why would they need to waive him to move him down to AAA?

Because they needed to remove him from the 40 man roster.

32. OCD SS Posted: January 10, 2012 at 02:12 PM (#4033282)

Yeah, but you had to give up #35 Deolis Guerra.

I have never had a Deolis Guerra. And as a Red Sox fan,I'm pretty sure that "I" have never had a Deolis Guerra.

33. Something Other Posted: January 10, 2012 at 05:29 PM (#4033501)

edit to add: ...and was limited to 51 minor league ABs in 2007 after a neck injury.

Yes, but was it a tattoo-related neck injury? Focus, people!

23. formerly dp Posted: January 10, 2012 at 07:44 AM (#4032953)
We'll never know, but I'm wondering what the best offer Omar ever got for Martinez was.

Yeah, I don't think I really want to know that the Cardinals were willing to package Pujols for Martinez and Ollie (during his Koufax phase).

In the last seven years (meaning they've debuted in that time) its been, what, Ike Davis and Mike Pelfrey as the top position player and top pitcher to have come through the Mets minor leagues? Can that be right? I need coffee.

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Monday, January 09, 2012

Source: F-Mart, Herrera on way out

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