DALLAS -- The last time the Mets acquired a right-handed-hitting, former Dodgers catcher from the Marlins, the move worked out rather well. Mike Piazza became the face of the organization, the force in the batting order and the primary fuel in the Mets' late-'90s about-face that culminated with an appearance in the 2000 World Series.
So they've tried it again.
The Mets aren't asking the same of Paul Lo Duca, the catcher they acquired from the Marlins' always-open, general store Sunday. Other moves general manager Omar Minaya has made since the end of the season already had imported players to do the heavier lifting. Lo Duca has been brought on board to catch, to serve as Piazza's successor as he did with the Dodgers -- though not directly -- to be a force behind the plate, not only at it.
The Mets have not acknowledged the exchange. They're waiting for the results of physical exams. But a National League executive confirmed the deal for MLB.com.
Lo Duca is the principal player in the Mets' second deal with the Fish in less than two weeks. And as was the case in the first one -- Carlos Delgado and cash to the Mets for Mike Jacobs and two prospects -- the Mets paid for Major League prowess with potential. This time, they dealt 19-year-old Gaby Hernandez, a right-handed pitcher of considerable promise who, nonetheless, hasn't thrown a pitch at a level higher than Class A, and another player as yet unidentified. Hernandez hardly figured in their plans for 2006.
Lo Duca looms large in those plans, though not on the same scale as the player he succeeds; which is not to suggest the 33-year-old native of Brooklyn is Junior Ortiz or Butch Benton reincarnate. LoDuca is an accomplished offensive player with a .300, 25-home run, 90-RBI season in his resume of six-plus years. He has a .285 career batting average after batting .283 with 57 RBIs and six home runs in 445 at-bats in 2005.
But Lo Duca isn't an extraordinary offensive force as Piazza was for 4 1/2 of the 7 1/2 seasons he spent in Queens. Piazza was a hitter who caught, LoDuca is more of a catcher who hits. That distinction will not be lost on the Mets pitchers when they are on the mound in need of an out, nor hailed by them when they're on the bench, anticipating run support.
Even in its diluted state last summer, Piazza's offense was comparable to that of any catcher in the game, though not enough to offset the liability his defense, particularly his throwing, had become. With Piazza catching, Mets opponents stole 82 bases in 95 attempts, an 86.3 success rate. Marlins opponents were successful 89 times in 118 attempts, a 75 percent mark.
But consider Piazza's offense. He averaged 11.8 RBIs per 100 plate appearances through July 5 and 27.4 in the subsequent month. And if RBI rate is an acceptable means and measurement, consider this: Through Aug. 6, Piazza had 51 RBIs as a catcher (three more as a DH or pinch-hitter.) Among all Major League catchers, only Cleveland's Victor Martinez had more as a catcher -- 52. And he had 54 more plate appearances than Piazza at the time.
But the presence of Delgado and his anticipated influence on Carlos Beltran is likely to compensate for the absence of Piazza's bat. And Lo Duca, considered a tough out by Tom Glavine, will make contributions as well. He had stunning success, batting with two outs and a runner in third last season. Lo Duca batted .474 in 17 at-bats in that circumstance.
His acquisition, of course, eliminates the Mets from the pursuit of the two high-profile free agent catchers: Ramon Hernandez and Bengie Molina. The Mets had turned away from three free agents last week, opting instead to focus on their bullpen. They once had considered bringing in a reserve catcher to play behind Ramon Castro, who was Piazza's understudy last season.
But the Marlins' sell-off allowed them to shoot higher and save money in the process. Lo Duca is to earn $12.5 million in the next two seasons. Hernandez and Molina each was expected to command more in the free agent market. But with the Mets no longer shopping, their prices may drop.
Lo Duca made his Major League debut, with the Dodgers, some five weeks after the team traded Piazza to the Marlins in 1998 and a month after the Mets acquired Piazza from Marlins. Todd Hundley, displaced by Piazza with the Mets, was the Dodgers' catcher in 1999 and into 2000. Lo Duca didn't play regularly until 2001, his finest season, when he batted .320 with 25 home runs and 90 RBIs in merely 460 at-bats.
Lo Duca hasn't approached those numbers since, though he did drive in 80 runs in 2004, 49 with the Dodgers before being traded to the Marlins July 30. He has hit 26 home runs in his last three seasons combined.
Hernandez pitched the first month-and-a-half of his second professional season as an 18-year old and distinguished himself, earning a promotion to the St. Lucie Mets.
Before the promotion, Hernandez outgrew the South Atlantic League. He produced a 6-1 record and 2.43 ERA in 18 starts with the Hagerstown Suns, logging a no-hitter striking out 99 batters while surrendering only 89 base runners in 92 2/3 innings.
Hernandez made 10 starts for St. Lucie, losing five of seven decisions and producing a 5.74 ERA that was almost three times higher than his ERA in his first 145 1/3 professional innings.
http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/...ontent_id=1275826&vkey=hotstove2005&fext=.jsp
So they've tried it again.
The Mets aren't asking the same of Paul Lo Duca, the catcher they acquired from the Marlins' always-open, general store Sunday. Other moves general manager Omar Minaya has made since the end of the season already had imported players to do the heavier lifting. Lo Duca has been brought on board to catch, to serve as Piazza's successor as he did with the Dodgers -- though not directly -- to be a force behind the plate, not only at it.
The Mets have not acknowledged the exchange. They're waiting for the results of physical exams. But a National League executive confirmed the deal for MLB.com.
Lo Duca is the principal player in the Mets' second deal with the Fish in less than two weeks. And as was the case in the first one -- Carlos Delgado and cash to the Mets for Mike Jacobs and two prospects -- the Mets paid for Major League prowess with potential. This time, they dealt 19-year-old Gaby Hernandez, a right-handed pitcher of considerable promise who, nonetheless, hasn't thrown a pitch at a level higher than Class A, and another player as yet unidentified. Hernandez hardly figured in their plans for 2006.
Lo Duca looms large in those plans, though not on the same scale as the player he succeeds; which is not to suggest the 33-year-old native of Brooklyn is Junior Ortiz or Butch Benton reincarnate. LoDuca is an accomplished offensive player with a .300, 25-home run, 90-RBI season in his resume of six-plus years. He has a .285 career batting average after batting .283 with 57 RBIs and six home runs in 445 at-bats in 2005.
But Lo Duca isn't an extraordinary offensive force as Piazza was for 4 1/2 of the 7 1/2 seasons he spent in Queens. Piazza was a hitter who caught, LoDuca is more of a catcher who hits. That distinction will not be lost on the Mets pitchers when they are on the mound in need of an out, nor hailed by them when they're on the bench, anticipating run support.
Even in its diluted state last summer, Piazza's offense was comparable to that of any catcher in the game, though not enough to offset the liability his defense, particularly his throwing, had become. With Piazza catching, Mets opponents stole 82 bases in 95 attempts, an 86.3 success rate. Marlins opponents were successful 89 times in 118 attempts, a 75 percent mark.
But consider Piazza's offense. He averaged 11.8 RBIs per 100 plate appearances through July 5 and 27.4 in the subsequent month. And if RBI rate is an acceptable means and measurement, consider this: Through Aug. 6, Piazza had 51 RBIs as a catcher (three more as a DH or pinch-hitter.) Among all Major League catchers, only Cleveland's Victor Martinez had more as a catcher -- 52. And he had 54 more plate appearances than Piazza at the time.
But the presence of Delgado and his anticipated influence on Carlos Beltran is likely to compensate for the absence of Piazza's bat. And Lo Duca, considered a tough out by Tom Glavine, will make contributions as well. He had stunning success, batting with two outs and a runner in third last season. Lo Duca batted .474 in 17 at-bats in that circumstance.
His acquisition, of course, eliminates the Mets from the pursuit of the two high-profile free agent catchers: Ramon Hernandez and Bengie Molina. The Mets had turned away from three free agents last week, opting instead to focus on their bullpen. They once had considered bringing in a reserve catcher to play behind Ramon Castro, who was Piazza's understudy last season.
But the Marlins' sell-off allowed them to shoot higher and save money in the process. Lo Duca is to earn $12.5 million in the next two seasons. Hernandez and Molina each was expected to command more in the free agent market. But with the Mets no longer shopping, their prices may drop.
Lo Duca made his Major League debut, with the Dodgers, some five weeks after the team traded Piazza to the Marlins in 1998 and a month after the Mets acquired Piazza from Marlins. Todd Hundley, displaced by Piazza with the Mets, was the Dodgers' catcher in 1999 and into 2000. Lo Duca didn't play regularly until 2001, his finest season, when he batted .320 with 25 home runs and 90 RBIs in merely 460 at-bats.
Lo Duca hasn't approached those numbers since, though he did drive in 80 runs in 2004, 49 with the Dodgers before being traded to the Marlins July 30. He has hit 26 home runs in his last three seasons combined.
Hernandez pitched the first month-and-a-half of his second professional season as an 18-year old and distinguished himself, earning a promotion to the St. Lucie Mets.
Before the promotion, Hernandez outgrew the South Atlantic League. He produced a 6-1 record and 2.43 ERA in 18 starts with the Hagerstown Suns, logging a no-hitter striking out 99 batters while surrendering only 89 base runners in 92 2/3 innings.
Hernandez made 10 starts for St. Lucie, losing five of seven decisions and producing a 5.74 ERA that was almost three times higher than his ERA in his first 145 1/3 professional innings.
http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/...ontent_id=1275826&vkey=hotstove2005&fext=.jsp
