Rule 5: Mets roundup from the draft

As covered earlier, the Mets selected Carlos Monasterios (Update: He’s been traded) and John Lujan in the earlier rounds of the draft. After that the Mets selected…

-Mets selected 1B Thomas Hubbard from Seattle.

Marshall hit .271 / .380 / .434 with 14 home runs and 70 RBI with the Double-A West Tennessee Diamond Jax last season.

-Mets selected RHP Rolando Valdez from San Diego.

Between Double-A and Triple-A last season, Valdez posted a 5.40 ERA in 33 1-3 innings. He posted a 1.680 WHIP, allowing five home runs.

-Mets selected LHP Orlando Lara from San Diego.

Lara spent 2009 with the Mexico City Reds, pitching in 18 games, starting seven. He posted a 5.03 ERA and 1.676 WHIP. He allowed three home runs in 48 1-3 innings.

-Mets selected RHP Johan Figuereo from Washington.

Figuereo is a converted infielder who threw his first inning in 2007. In ‘08 he tossed 37 2-3 innings, putting up a 4.20 ERA and 1.274 WHIP. Last year, he tossed 24 2-3 innings with a 2.92 ERA and 1.216 WHIP. In only 23 innings, he allowed eight home runs.

The Mets did lose a player from the Gulf Coast League team. I’m trying to track down that name.

Thanks to Chris Birckhead on Twitter, we know the Mets lost RHP Hayden Beard, from Australia, from Gulf Coast Rookie League.

Beard went 5-2 with a 5.34 ERA and 1.385 WHIP last season.

Rule 5: Mets select John Lujan from Chicago White Sox

In the minor-league round of the Rule 5 Draft, the Mets selected RHP John Lujan, 25-years-old, from the Chicago White Sox Triple-A team.

Lujan, 6-foot-1, a reliever who pitched 58 2-3 innings last season with the Birmingham Barons.  He pitched to the tune of a 4.45 ERA, 1.347 WHIP, 4.3 BB/9 and 7.8 SO/9.

He struck out 51 and allowed only one home run.

Hey, Omar! [Twitter]

You hearing this too, Minaya?  Get on it.

Mets to Molina: 2-years, $12 million…or not [Updated]

Update 12:12 p.m.: According to Steve Popper, citing a baseball official(?), the Mets have not offered Molina a two-year deal.  “Interested, but hoping for 1,” he writes.

Original Post: According to a blog post by David Lennon from Newsday (pay site), if Bengie Molina accepts a two-year, $12 million deal, he will be the newest Met.

Lennon writes that if Molina refuses the two-year deal, the Mets could look at alternatives, such as Yorvit Torrealbla, who is available for one year, just to play in New York.

You might remember that Torrealba was almost a Met a few years ago, but the deal fell through.  Torrealba was not quiet about the matter, so it’s a little strange that he’s so willing to come to NY.

Still, here’s to hoping that Molina sticks to his demands of three years.  $12 million is a lot of money.

Wanted [Image]

Imagine if Omar Minaya was actually a Sheriff??

Lennon: Mets discussing numbers on pitchers [Twitter]

Mets fans say: “FINALLY!”

Manuel’s Musing

“Probably ‘til the end of spring training. Then the Mets will take over.”

-Jerry Manuel on how long the Phillies will dominate the NL East

Bob Melvin joins Mets staff as scout

Bob Melvin, who was being considered for the bench coach position, has been hired as a major league scout with the team, according to Joel Sherman.

Mevlin’s last job had him as manager of the Arizona Diamonbacks, where he steered them to a 677-337 over four plus years.

Mets sign Mike Hessman

According to Adam Rubin, the Mets have signed career minor-leaguer Mike Hessman to a minor-league deal.

He’s 31-years-old, hit .217 / .324 / .442 with 23 home runs and 77 RBI last year with the Detroit Tiger’s Triple-A team.  Hessman last played in the majors in 2008 with the Tigers, hitting .296 / .387 / .889 in 12 games with the Tigers.

Hessman has played every position at the minor league level, with the majority of his time coming at third base.

Heyman: Mets still working on Wolf, Maine-for-Hart [Winter Meetings]

Randy Wolf: I wouldn’t hate the signing of Randy Wolf.  The Mets simply cannot go over three years on his deal, though.  He’s far from a perfect addition to the rotation, but he’s suitable and a Top 5 free agent pitcher on the market.

The Mets might be able to swing this one, but they might have to pay a bit more.  Everyone knows the Mets desperately need rotation help, so all free agents have the upper hand.

This also could just be a ploy by Wolf’s agent to get Milwaukee to pony up a few million more or possibly an extra year.

John Maine for Corey Hart: Two things come into play here…

1. Rick Peterson is the pitching coach in Milwaukee.  John Maine and Peterson back together could rekindle some magic.

If I was another team, I’d have to be seriously concerned about Maine’s health, pitching guru or not.  I just don’t think he has the build to be a starter anymore.

2. Corey Hart in LF, Jeff Francoeur in RF.  Um, yikes.