TODAY: Betances has indeed exercised his option, the Mets announced (Twitter link).
OCTOBER 31: Dellin Betances is likely to accept a $6MM player option to stay with the New York Mets rather than take a $3MM buyout, per MLB Insider Jon Heyman (via Twitter).
It’s telling that Betances would take the guaranteed money here. If Betances thinks he can get more than $3MM on the open market, it would make sense to take the buyout. Given the expectations for a depressed free agent market, it’s not shocking that Betances would take the $6MM to stay in his hometown – the only baseball town he’s ever known.
Betances was once one of the top setup men in baseball with the Yankees, but a partial tear of his Achilles in September of 2019 ended his tenure with the Yankees and sent him to the free agent market. He posted a 2.36 ERA over 358 appearances with the Yankees in his 8 seasons there.
In his first action since the injury, Betances made 15 appearances for the Mets in 2020 but struggled to a 7.71 ERA/4.91 FIP in 11 2/3 innings with a troubling 0.92 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Betances has been missing a key weapon from his arsenal since his return: his 93.6 mph heater not particularly close to the 97.7 mph four-seamer he sported in his heyday with the Yankees.
Hopefully he just needed time. Bc last year dude was throwing 93-95 if he goes back to 97-98 that’s a great deal for the Mets…(big if tho)
He looked done to me, but you’re totally right; if he rebounds the Mets could have themselves an elite pen.
Yes I agree. He looked shot lol. But yeah hopefully we get the old Betances. Even if the odds are highly unlikely.
When Betances was at his high point with the Yanks he was one of the most outright dominant pitchers I’ve ever seen throw.
He could run his FB to triple digits and his knuckle curve could break 90(!). All from the same slot with the same arm speed. He has a long stride (extension) so his velocity actually plays *up”.
Mercy.
The Yankees rode the hell outta him for years, man. We started to see the average velo (although he could still hit his former max numbers at times) creep down a little & the arm slot speration (tunneling) between his two pitchs began to be discernable.
Unfortunately, these are signs of decline for a pitcher.
I’d love to see the Big Fella rebound. He’s on my “forever cool with me” list.
When he had his breaking pitch he’s unhittable but when he doesn’t look out.
His FB picked up a little bit towards the end of the season.
He’s always been one to start slow and need a month or two to throw hard
Hope he comes back big time in 2021. Career year! Go big guy! If he can do it, Mets fans are in for something special. Big fan of Betances.
Big fan of his. If he regains form, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him close out games for the Mets.
I have a question. Not about this player but options. If he takes that $3M buyout does he get that up front in one check?
If so, one would expect that with uncertainty of 2021 and the length of the season (and thus, pro-rated pay based on games played), one would think he could end up making less next year ($6M prorated this year would have meant $2.22M for example).
I don’t know anything about this guy specifically so I’m sure there’s a lot of factors you will tell me.
Thanks
He had a bad year in 2020 and probably feels obligated to give the Mets their money’s worth. There’s also the fact that Cohen is the brand new owner, so I’m sure he viewed it as appealing to stay another season.
He owes them nothing. It’s business and he would’ve been dumped in a quick second if it was a club option. I think it’s a good call here if Brad hand gets his $10 mil option declined and then passed through waivers.
He prefers NYC first and foremost.
Given his performance in 2020, $6MM is a decent paycheck.
@Tony – you are correct. If he declined his option, he’d be guaranteed the $3M in a lump sum, regardless of what the 2021 schedule or payroll agreement ends up being. You bring up a good point. With the uncertainty of the 2021 season, one could argue that taking the guaranteed $3M could be the safer choice vs. risking another pro-rated COVID season but I’m cautiously optimistic that MLB will play at least 120 games next season and be allowed to have at least some fans back in their parks, but we’ll have to wait and see.
“…I’m cautiously optimistic that MLB will play at least 120 games next season and be allowed to have at least some fans back in their parks…”
I’m with you on that. I think, at a minimum, they nudge the needle. If we get lucky, there’s a vaccine, hopefully with some production capacity.
Well maybe the vaccine will stop these people from driving around in their cars alone with the face diapers on. Unless the force it on the entire population it won’t matter. I’m not voluntarily taking a vaccine as well with millions of others.
So you’re perfectly happy to catch and spread the virus, even at the risk of permanently injuring or killing someone? That’s you? Just brilliant. Nice guy. Who raised you? A sociopath? Are you a sociopath? You sound like it. And what are you a wimp? Can’t take a shot in the arm? Pfffft!!!
Whoa.
Settle down, @mo. Your post reads like someone about to have a heart attack. Deeep breath, man.
I have some camo gators I use for waterfowling & turkey hunting. I wear one in public. But, I don’t when I’m driving or in my living room, or whatever.
& when a vaccine is available I’ll get it.
But make no mistake on this. I do not care for *anything* that is compulsory.
Like seat belts, stop signs, etc?
@Ducky
There are people called Anti-Vaxers. They refuse to vaccinate their children for fear they might get aspberger’s (the healthcare community is unanimous and unequivocal on this: they won’t get aspbergers from vaccines). As a result of this refusal to vaccinate lots of children, most of them other people’s children, are getting sick. Because of unfounded fear and a failure to see the social and moral dimension of vaccinations. We do them not just for ourselves but for others as well. It’s a small thing for society to ask. Like masking. Just be a decent human being. Otherwise you can be a sociopath. Your choice. There are tons of things that are compulsory in society. Like, as flmetfan notes, traffic laws. Make no mistake about this: you don’t mask, social distance or vaccinate? You are being a sociopath willing to harm and possibly kill others.
as mentioned by dorothy, it is all a lump sum.
the only exception would be (and this pretty much never happens today, but did in the past), is that he agreed to defer it over time.
him opting in does leave him open to another player deal for 2022 (per cots contracts, could be worth up to $3 million with a $1 million buyout if he pitches 70 games, less money for 60 and 50 games).
Yes, they receive the buyouts as a one time payment, I believe. Like a signing bonus, but more of a declining bonus, lol. It’s hard for us normies to imagine the psychological disappointment of receiving a one time full payment of millions of dollars to go away, but when it’s a fraction of what they’re choosing to not pay you, it probably still stings, especially if the difference from the option’s salary isn’t that significant in baseball terms, which is the thinking when many guys negotiate it. I think the logic is “they’d have to pay me $5M instead of $15M and unless my skills cratered, I can still perform above replacement levels, so why would they even bother not picking up my option?” (usually it’s to spread that $10M across 2-3 younger, cheaper, still very effective players, possibly in positions the player being bought out does not occupy, thus improving the team more than if they had kept that player)
Also, they’ve worked out a plan for a 162 game season in 2021, wherein they’ll probably get much closer to their full salaries. The teams might ask everybody to take a 10-25% discount for lack of revenue from attendance, merchandise sales, concessions, etc. but they’ll get much closer to their full salaries for a 162 game campaign in 2021 vs a 60 game campaign like in 2020.
NICE!
The Yankees finally get their revenge on the Mets for Pedro Feliciano.
Lol nice call. I liked Pedro. He was awesome!
What draft comp did Yanks get for DB? I know Mets got Mike Fulmer which led to 2015 WS run.
I’d rather see Betances come back.
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I think it was more the shoulder injury that fubard his career
Mets should eat the money on him and Brach and sign some decent pitchers.
No. They should keep him and Beach & sign some decent pitchers.
Betances and Familia: the 2 worst reliever contracts going.
Hope he decline the option. With Sandy back and Cohen cash, The mets can remake the roster using the FA market and trade, Sandy know the need to have a balance team, Mets have talent but too Many players out of position. For example trade Amed Rosario for a CF Many teams with CF need a ss this offseason Orioles , A’s and Angels.
Delin was a dominant reliever with the Yankees, however in his best days he still struggled with control, the ability to hold runners on , and throwing to bases. His velo and nasty curve allowed him to make up for many a mistake. Velo is gone, those mistakes are now unforgiving and his career is prob over.
Mets gotta hope the 2020 pen breaks out, because you’ve got some of its trouble spots coming back in Brach and Dellin
I think part of the problem was, the starters were getting rocked. So they had to rely on the pen so much, and a lot of these guys aren’t stellar. If they bolster their starting pitching, they should alleviate some of the bullpen problems. As of right now, they only have 1 good starting pitcher. The rest aren’t even decent. (Syndergaard is missing a chunk of the year.)
if Cohen was owner last offseason, we would still have Wheeler!! Yet another reason to be happy that the Coupons are gone….LFGM
That’s a big if, but letting Wheeler go was certainly odd.
As someone who followed him on the Yankees, even at his peak, Dellin’s velocity would increase over the first month of the season and reach peak a month or two in. Add in the short Summer Camp, the type of injury he’s recovering from, and only pitching a little over 11 innings, and it’s quite possible he’ll be much better in 2021.
I doubt we’ll ever see his peak 98 mph fastball average where he’d touch 100 at times, but if he can add a couple miles and average mid-90s, he should be effective again. Hopefully a regular camp and mostly full season gets him back on track. I wouldn’t bet against it.
You bet he did. $3MM + $1MM < $6MM