Johan Santana is just another cautionary tale of why it is hard for teams to invest money long – term on Starting Pitching, There are just far too many ways for hurlers to be injured in comparison to Roster Players. The Mets will just have to bide time until 2014 when the team can finally take the former Cy Young winner of the teams payroll book.  Santana signed a 6 YR/$137.5 MIL deal with the Mets after coming over from Minnesota.  While he was good in his 1st year (leading the NL with a 2.53 ERA), he just started 109 Games for his New York Career.

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Lets face it, the Mets have had a poor track record of signing Free Agents lately.

Quickly to go over the list:  Jason Bay, Luis Castillo, (4 YRs/$24.75 MIL and they released him following a 2010 year – where he ballooned in weight – and hit just .235), their own Free Agent in Oliver Perez, (3 YRs/ $36 MIL for 3 wins and a ERA near 7 in that time), and  Johan Santana.

Lest we forget the horrible trades that ended the careers of Roberto Alomar (Made $13 MIL in a season and a half – before  New York jettisoned him to the White Sox for hitting .265 in 2002 – 2003 combined where he was a .300 Career Hitter).

Mo Vaughn. could barely move by the time he made it to New York city. The Mets paid him almost $48 MIL to have only 567 AB. 

Vaughn only played in 166 games for New York, and was out of league after 2003.  At least Kevin Appier (the traded player for him) was done playing by 2004 as well, but at $20 MIL less cost.

While I agree that the New York (NL) franchise should spend some money they have finally been hoarding up, the  brass have to be careful who they select to throw that dough on.

Jason Bay Hurt for the Mets in July 2010

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