Report: Mets, Barajas Agree to Deal

The Mets, who are still searching for their starting catcher, think they have found that by signing free agent catcher Rod Barajas to a one year, $1 million deal today.

The Texas Rangers reportedly offered Barajas a minor league deal.

Omir Santos is the No. 1 catcher by default in Mets camp, but the team reportedly was uneasy with the thought of going into the season with him as the starter as his game-calling skills reportedly were called into question last season.

Santos hit .260 with seven home runs and 40 RBIs last season.

Prospect Josh Thole, who hit .321 in 17 games last season, was also being considered but is more likely to start the season at Triple-A Buffalo.

The Mets signed Henry Blanco earlier this offseason to serve as the team's primary backup catcher.

Barajas, who was the Blue Jays' starting catcher last season, hit 19 home runs with 71 RBIs in 2009. The 34-year-old, who only had a .226 average, threw out 33 percent of base runners attempting to steal last season.

This is a good signing for the Mets considering what little options they had left once they couldn't sign Bengie Molina. Barajas is pretty good behind the plate even though he is almost an automatic out at the plate.

Many pitchers have enjoyed throwing to Barajas over the years because he is a calming presence behind the plate and often calls an excellent game, keeping the Jays' pitching staff to a 4.26 ERA last season in games he caught.

In the case of Barajas, the good defense may out way the terrible offense. Even though he hit a measly .226 last season, he was third in the MLB with a caught stealing percentage of 33.3%. That was better than Molina's career low 21.3% (that is when he catches over 100 games and he is at 24.6% over the last six seasons) that he put up last season, significantly better than Omir Santos's 20.4%, and better than Brian Schneider's 27.6% he put up in 2008 (sixth best in MLB for the season).

This season Barajas is projected to throw out 34.6% of would be base stealers. If the Mets can get that out of him, as well as maybe a batting average between .240 and .250, it would become money well spent. The Mets need Barajas to control the pitching staff and help John Maine, Oliver Perez, Mike Pelfrey and whoever becomes the fifth starter have solid, comeback seasons.

This has the potential to be a good move for the Mets. Of course only time will tell though. I like the move, but they obviously could have done better, and worse.