Alderson addresses Paulino's PED suspension
Ronnie Paulino still has eight games left on a 50-game suspension after he tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs last season. Credit: AP
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - On the last day of the winter meetings Thursday, the Mets finalized their deals with reliever D.J. Carrasco and catcher Ronny Paulino. Both fill specific needs, with Carrasco able to provide multiple innings out of the bullpen and Paulino expected to be the backup to the promising Josh Thole.
With Paulino, however, general manager Sandy Alderson had to do a little more explaining. Paulino will miss the first eight games of the 2011 season to complete a 50-game suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs, and with the volatile nature of that topic, Alderson was asked if it is a concern.
"We live within the system that's been adopted by Major League Baseball," Alderson said. "We look at it from a standpoint of principle and the standpoint of practicality. If he had 50 games facing him going into the season, that's not going to happen. Is that a principle decision? No, that's a practical decision. From a principle standpoint, I think we try to look at all the circumstances and ultimately we live within a system."
Paulino's suspension probably helped the Mets get him on a one-year, $1.3-million deal, which is significantly less than the one-year, $3.2-million contract former Met Rod Barajas recently signed with the Dodgers.
"There's a penalty for his transgression, it's been served, you move on," Alderson said. "But it's an individual case-by-case determination in terms of incident, reputation, et cetera."
As promised, Alderson left the winter meetings with new players - seven in total. In addition to Carrasco and Paulino, the Mets signed righthander Boof Bonser, infielder Russ Adams and catcher Dusty Ryan to minor-league deals. They also selected infielder Brad Emaus (Blue Jays) and righthander Pedro Beato (Orioles) in yesterday's Rule 5 draft.
Still on the agenda is acquiring another starter, most likely Chris Young, and a lefthanded specialist, with the Mets already having contacted Hideki Okajima and Will Ohman.
"We recognize with respect to the starting pitching, there are issues of cost and there are issues of health, and sometimes those don't get resolved in two or three or four days," Alderson said. "So I'm not disappointed. It would be nice to have another starting pitcher right now, but there's a lot of time between now and spring training."
