The New York Mets avoided arbitration with one of their top relief pitchers who is coming back from Tommy John surgery. In the Bronx, the Yankees have quite an interesting lineup after the addition of Stephen Drew on Monday.
According to Adam Rubin of ESPN New York, the Mets and reliever Bobby Parnell have agreed on a one-year, $3.7 million contract to avoid arbitration. The 30-year-old served as the team's closer in 2013 and compiled a 5-5 record with a 2.16 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 22 saves in 50 innings of work. Unfortunately, he pitched only one game in 2014 before he needed to undergo Tommy John surgery. The team expects him to start 2015 on the disabled list.
Parnell's $3.7 million salary is the same amount he earned last season. Manager Terry Collins "indicated that Parnell's closer job should revert to him once he's ready," writes Rubin. The right-hander was succeeded by Jenrry Mejia, who started seven games in 2014 before being moved into a relief role. Mejia, 25, went 6-6 with a 3.65 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 28 saves and 98 strikeouts in 93 2/3 innings. As a reliever, the right-hander maintained a 2.72 ERA and 1.42 WHIP.
The Mets must also deal with other arbitration-eligible players, including Mejia, Daniel Murphy, Dillon Gee, Lucas Duda and Ruben Tejada.
From Queens to the Bronx, the Yankees have signed infielder Stephen Drew to a one-year contract and he should be the team's starting second baseman on Opening Day. Now that they have their starting lineup settled heading into 2015, it's worth noting that every batter is either left-handed or a switch-hitter. Their opponents in the AL East division each only have one left-hander in each of their starting rotations, which is a great advantage to New York. Wei-Yin Chen of the Baltimore Orioles, Wade Miley of the Boston Red Sox, Drew Smyly of the Tampa Bay Rays and Mark Buehrle of the Toronto Blue Jays are those starters as of right now.
New York's lineup is as follows:
C Brian McCann (left)
1B Mark Teixeira (switch)
2B Stephen Drew (left)
SS Didi Gregorius (left)
3B Chase Headley (switch)
LF Brett Gardner (left)
CF Jacoby Ellsbury (left)
RF Carlos Beltran (switch)
*DH Garrett Jones (left)
*Assuming the team does all they can to keep Alex Rodriguez from playing and being a distraction.
According to ESPN's Buster Olney, the previously mentioned left-handed starters aren't wildly effective against left-handed hitters, which is perhaps exactly what New York had in mind when they re-signed Headley and Drew and traded for Gregorius and Jones.
"If you dig inside the numbers more, even the left-handers in the division don't wipe out left-handed hitters," writes Olney. "Buehrle is not a hard thrower, and left-handers typically have done about the same against him as right-handers; last year, lefties had a .718 OPS against him, while right-handers were at .752. Left-handed hitters had a .670 OPS against Chen, right-handers .746. Miley, acquired this winter by the Red Sox, had .727/.752 OPS splits last season against lefties and righties, respectively. Smyly might be the most daunting left-handed starter in the division, having held lefties to a .486 OPS in 2014 (compared to a .763 OPS vs. right-handed hitters)."
It looks like the Yankees are keeping statistics in mind as they look to avoid missing the playoffs for a third consecutive season.
