Kazuo Matsui Traded To Rockies

[Blue Jeans]

The New York Mets announced today that they have acquired catcher/first baseman/outfielder Eli Marrero from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for infielder Kazuo Matsui. The Rockies optioned Matsui to Colorado Springs (AAA) of the Pacific Coast League.

Marrero, 32, was hitting .217 (13-60) with seven runs scored, three doubles, four home runs, 10 RBI, along with 11 walks and 16 strikeouts in 30 games for the Rockies. Eli has appeared in five games (one start) behind the plate, seven contests (all starts) at first base, three games (two starts) in leftfield and three games (all starts) in rightfield this year.

 

The 6-1, 180-pounder split the 2005 season between with the Kansas City Royals and Baltimore Orioles, missing the final two months of the campaign with a sprained right thumb. Marrero combined to hit .181 (25-138) with seven home runs and 19 RBI in 54 contests. Eli was acquired by the Orioles on June 8th last season in exchange for minor league infielder Pete Maestrales.

 

Eli has hit .244 (457-1,873) with 258 runs scored, 98 doubles, 12 triples, 64 home runs, 256 RBI, 54 stolen bases with 164 walks and 357 strikeouts in 699 major league games with the Cardinals (1997-2003), Braves (2004), Royals (2005), Orioles (2005) and Rockies (2006). He has caught 344 games, appeared in 57 contests at first base, 122 in leftfield, 115 in rightfield and 54 games in centerfield.

 

Marrero will become the third-Cuban born player to play with the Mets this season, joining righthanded pitchers Orlando Hernandez and Alay Soler.

 

He batted .320 (80-250) with 37 runs scored, with 18 doubles, one triple, 10 home runs and 40 RBI in 90 games with Atlanta in 2004.

 

Marrero established career highs in hits (104), doubles (19), home runs (18), RBI (66), stolen bases (14) and games (131) in 2002 with St. Louis.

 

Eli has batted .268 (153-571) vs. lefthanded pitching during his career.

 

Matsui, who signed a three-year contract with the Mets in December, 2003, was hitting .200 (26-130) with 10 runs scored, six doubles, one home run and seven RBI with six walks and 19 strikeouts in 38 games this season.

 

Kazuo, 30, batted .255 (68-267) with nine doubles, four triples, three home runs and 24 RBI in 87 contests with New York in 2005.

 

:worshippy:

[jranieli]

shit beat me to it.

[gateb]

Isn't Marrero the guy who was that major major prospect with Arizona, but had psychology and anger management problems so he could never get it together a couple of years ago?

[Blue Jeans]

Isn't Marrero the guy who was that major major prospect with Arizona, but had psychology and anger management problems so he could never get it together a couple of years ago?

 

Who cares? KAZ IS GONE!

[jranieli]

Marrero is batting .217 with four homeruns and 10 RBI in 60 at-bats with the Rockies. Terrific!!!!

[Blue Jeans]

Marrero is batting .217 with four homeruns and 10 RBI in 60 at-bats with the Rockies. Terrific!!!!

 

Not a big deal, he's not going to be starting... This, I think closes the door for Ramon Castro. I've said it before, Ramon can start in the MLB (or at least start 100 games), and his value is pretty high. Teams without a good catcher would be glad to have him. This guy plays catcher... so we could be trading Ramon for pitching shortly, having 2 backup catchers now. Also with that, we could get a greeting from Mr. Anderson Hernandez or Mr. Keppinger.

[gateb]

Marrero is batting .217 with four homeruns and 10 RBI in 60 at-bats with the Rockies. Terrific!!!!

And what's Kaz doing for us?

 

I think we got Eli to be another utility guy incase Floyd's injury is long-lasting or we trade him.

 

I'm more worried about money as of now in this deal.

[Blue Jeans]

And what's Kaz doing for us?

 

I think we got Eli to be another utility guy incase Floyd's injury is long-lasting or we trade him.

 

I'm more worried about money as of now in this deal.

 

Not sure, but I think we dropped some of Kaz's salary.

[xxi-xxv]

I would have taken 3 used chops sticks and 2 signed Hideki Irabu clay toads for Kaz.

[GorillaNJ]

Mets, Rockies swap Matsui, Marrero..(mets.com report)

Body: PHOENIX -- The New York Mets acquired versatile utilityman Eli Marrero from the Colorado Rockies on Friday afternoon in a one-for-one trade that sent second baseman Kazuo Matsui to the Rockies, who optioned him to Triple-A Colorado Springs of the Pacific Coast League.

Marrero, 32, was batting .217 (13-for-60) with four home runs, 10 RBIs, three doubles and 11 walks in 30 games with Colorado. He has played catcher, first base, left field and right field this season and becomes the third-Cuban born player to play with the Mets this season, joining right-handed pitchers Orlando Hernandez and Alay Soler.

 

Marerro split the 2005 season between the Kansas City Royals and Baltimore Orioles, missing the final two months of the campaign with a sprained right thumb. He batted .181 (25-for-138) with seven home runs and 19 RBIs in 54 games, overall.

 

Marrero established career highs in hits (104), doubles (19), home runs (18), RBIs (66), stolen bases (14) and games (131) in 2002 with St. Louis. He was acquired by the Rockies on June 8, 2005.

 

According to a report on Newsday's Web site, the Mets would in effect pay what is left on Matsui's contract by paying the $477,000 remaining on Marrero's deal and sending the Rockies about $4.6 million.

 

Approximately $5.1 million remains on Matsui's $8 million 2006 salary.

 

Matsui, who signed a three-year contract with the Mets in December 2003, was hitting .200 (26-for-130) with 10 runs, six doubles, one home run and seven RBIs this season after batting .255 with three home runs and 24 RBIs in 2005.

 

Matsui began the season on the disabled list with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee and was activated on April 20. He hit an inside-the-park home run in his first plate appearance on April 20 at San Diego, becoming the first player in Major League history to begin his career with a home run in his first plate appearance for three straight seasons (2004-06).

 

He also became the first player to hit an inside-the-park homer for his first long ball of the year since Johnnie LeMaster for San Francisco on Sept. 2, 1975, vs. Los Angeles. Matsui posted a hit in each of his first eight games in 2006 and had a nine-game hit streak from May 3-14. There have been two Japan natives to play for the Rockies, both pitchers. Masato Yoshii made 29 starts for Colorado in 2000 while Mac Suzuki appeared in three games with one start for the club in 2001. A pair of other former Rockies pitchers, Craig House and Jeff McCurry, were born in Japan to U.S. military families.

 

Outfielder Jorge Piedra was recalled from Colorado Springs to take Marrero's roster spot. Piedra is expected to be in uniform for Friday night's game against Los Angeles.

 

It was not immediately known when Marerro will join his new team, which played the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night in the second game of a four-game series. The Mets currently lead the National League East with a 36-23 record and are 4 1/2 games ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies

 

Well I was willing to trade him for a pack of used bubble gum, but a .217 hitter seems fair enough