Braves claim Mets infielder Gotay off waivers | ajc.com
I won’t write up Ruben Gotay until it’s clear that he’s staying around. The Mets could call him back, or the Braves could trade him to a team further down the waiver list (presumably an AL team). He’s a decent bench player but isn’t really a shortstop, and it would be patently insane to go into the year with two backup infielders with less than 20 combined games of professional experience at shortstop, but that seems to be the case. Prado and Gotay together make up one major league quality second baseman.
UPDATE: Braves PR…
In an additional transaction, the Braves asked for waivers on first baseman Scott Thorman who then cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Richmond.
IOW: “Scott, you suck and nobody wants you.” The release also says that Gotay will be on the 25-man roster to open the season, so someone else has to go from the 40-man roster.
You sure it wasn’t that the Braves claimed a bow tie?
No, it was buckwheat saying “O-Tay!”. Somebody just came up with an extra g.
1. Mets can’t recall him, Mac.
2. This means 1 more of the people we knew might have to go somewhere will now have to go.
(I hope this means another deal is already made. Gotay for a prospect. Gotay and somebody better. One of the “unplaced” for something better. Whew! )
Wow! re: Thorman. I find that incredibly hard to believe. It’s great, though; he can get some regular ABs and maybe find something he seems to have lost.
I still don’t understand/like the Gotay move. Unless we’re about to trade Prado and Pena for Juan Rivera or Marcus Thames or Matt Murton.
(from previous thread)
Mac,
Actually, the correct answer is, “Thorman swung wildly at waivers, missed by a mile, and made it down to Richmond, untouched.”
Stu,
You’re missing the point…because picking up Met infield castoffs has worked out so well in the past (see: Woodward, Chris, circa 2007).
By the way, mac, if he sucks, will you be calling him, “Ruben Notay”?
I was thinking “Ruben 0-3”.
Where is the ‘Meh.’ option in the poll. That’s how I feel about it. Meh.
We must be about to make a move or going with Pena as our back up catcher/1B or a combination of Pena and Miller.
I just heard from Mark Kotsay, mac, and he’s pissed at your wanting to steal his nickname for Ruben.
Poor, poor, Frank Wren…he was in NY, at a Deli, just minding his own business and he was trying to order a Rueben…and well, this is what happens.
That’s pretty surprising that Thorman cleared waivers.
Have any critics been silenced by such a move?
He wasn’t claimed by another team, which would have instigated new critics. Can you preemptively silence critics?
Someone’s critics silenced Thorman’s bat.
Alex R. — about the Dusty Baker surprise… not sure what to tell you. They’ve got a number of young pitchers that he’ll get to test out. As well as some young position players that won’t get to play for him since he likes the vets. I guess I too am surprised that they made the move… even though he’s a big name and could bring some good PR their way, even if I probably wouldn’t be overly excited if I were a reds fan.
c.shorter
As much as I don’t respect Dusty as a manager, I feel I should have known that he had been re-hired by someone. Maybe I did know at the time and my brain blocked it out as ‘something really asinine so why would a team do this?’ and forgot.
Really, was Baker’s mangling, er I mean ‘bungling’, I mean, ‘managing’ of the Cubs and Giants not enough for people? The way he treats pitching staffs, alone…
going back to another previous comment…
Kurkjian picked the Mets to go 92-70, the Phils 91-71, and the Braves 90-72.
So he picked the Braves for 3rd in an incredible race. Just can’t see that happening… don’t think the Phils will be there.
13 — agreed.
Now we gotta find something to do with Thorman.
Let him tear up AAA pitching.
good idea. I don’t really think we need him even off the bench
At least Lillibridge and Thorman will be getting regular ABs now.
Yeah, I think that’s a good thing, braves14. I just don’t know which of our back-up 2Bs Bobby is expecting to play some SS…
19 — and I voted for anderson in a previous poll because it probably wouldn’t hurt for blanco to get regular ab’s either.
Blanco is out of options and probably won’t make it through waivers.
You sure Blanco’s O-O-O?
Scott Thorman vs. Chuck James – batting practice baseball at its finest!
I heard he was. Peanut says he isn’t, but he has been known to make mistakes about this.
Stu, I would guess Prado since Bobby played him at SS some this spring and said he looked good.
I’m surprised you guys are so down on this pickup. It cost us nothing and Gotay is a solid bat off the bench. I know a lot of Mets fans (being from New Jersey), and by and large they are pretty pissed right now.
Mac, that would be yet another argument to send Anderson to Richmond and keep Blanco.
Wow. I also am surprised that Thorman cleared waivers. Hopefully he can figure it out in AAA.
I know a lot of Mets fans (being from New Jersey), and by and large they are pretty pissed right now.
I’m coming around on this move.
22, 28 — oh, me too. shows how much i was paying attention. we can pretend like my vote was for blanco.
I’ve got some reading to do…hopefully by the time I get back somebody’s critics will have been silenced.
I will add (to the positive express) that Gotay’s a much better hitter than Woodward…Chris Woodward.
Of course, that’s like saying someone is a nicer person than Saddam Hussein. Most people are nicer than Saddam Hussein.
I mean, the Mets gave up a 25 year old middle infielder who came through in some clutch situations in order to keep Fernando Tatis. Now they get to watch Gotay come in and get pinch hits against them. Considering the cost (nothing), I like the move.
Okay, I had to put up a new tag line.
Gotay’s not bad at all for a U IF.
So we got a decent bat for the bench without losing any players and for little money. Nice move, Wren.
Gotay’s nothing great but he deserves better than Woodward comparisons. His ops last year was .770 or so which was better than any of the other possibilities for the bench (Prado, Thorman before he was exiled, Pena, Anderson, Blanco, Corky, Lillibridge).
Gotay is a good enough hitter to easily cover his expected role. Comparisons to Willy Aybar are appropriate.
we sure are racking up a lot of Util Infielders, I hope a good deal is looming. Cant believe that no team was willing to give Thorman some Ab’s. I bet he’s at rock bottom right now. Maybe he’ll tear it up in Richmond again and we can do something with him
I think its safe to say Blanco will be the 4th OF’r to see what he can do before we try the waiver thing with him
I don’t mean to be rude to the kid but why are all of you surprised that Thorman cleared waivers. To be frank, he sucks.
He’s terrible at pretty much everything and I really don’t see why the Braves even keep fooling with him.
I like the new tag line. It’s a keeper.
I’m with Chief…Thor sucks. He’s so bad, in fact, that he can’t actually suck, because everytime he tries to suck, he swings & misses.
Really, Thor = Brad Komminsk + Canada
We were surprised because Thorman has a lot of raw power, and usually a guy like that will find someone willing to give him a chance.
Gotay analysis now up.
The fact that Thor made me actually miss Adam LaRoche (until Tex arrived) was proof positive of Thor’s lack of ability.
Thor cleared waivers because their isn’t a lot of demand for huge power little contact 1B/Dh types in the Majors now a days.
Thor needs to play every day now to see if he has a future. Stranger things have happened