Mets non-tender Scott Atchison, Omar Quintanilla; others could follow before deadline (original) (raw)

Scott Atchison kind of expected the call. It came just before lunch Monday, with Mets general manager Sandy Alderson calling the veteran right-handed reliever to let him know the team would not be tendering him a contract for the 2014 season.

As expected, the Mets decided to non-tender Atchison and shortstop Omar Quintanilla, making them free agents.A club source said there may be more players non-tendered before Monday’s midnight deadline.

“I knew it could be coming,” Atchison said. “I have been through this before.”

Atchison said that Alderson told him that the team would be interested in bringing him back for 2014 under a more economical contract.

Atchison would’ve earned $1.3 million through arbitration in 2014, according to MLB Trade Rumors’ projections. The 37-year old has a partial tear in his ulnar collateral ligament, discovered in 2009. That usually leads to Tommy John surgery, but Atchison chose therapy over surgery. He threw just 45 1/3 innings in 2013 in part because of elbow issues and also a groin injury cost him time. He had a 4.37 ERA.

“I missed some time with the elbow and the groin injury, but by the end of the season, my stuff was back where it is supposed to be,” Atchison said. “So I think there will be some opportunities for me.

Omar Quintanilla (r.) hit .222 in 95 games for the Mets last season.

“Sandy said he would talk to my agent, probably after the Winter Meetings, but he knows that I am going to look at other opportunities too,” Atchison said. “At my stage of my career, I have to look for my best chance to win and the best situation for my family.

“But I would say there is some interest on their side and mine in going back to New York.”

According to MLB Trade Rumors’ projection, Quintanilla, 32, would have made $900,000 through arbitration in 2014. Quintanilla was signed to a minor-league deal last season and did not make the club out of Spring Training.

He was called up when Ruben Tejada was injured and then subsequently demoted at the end of May. A steady defensive shortstop, Quintanilla hit just .222.

While the Mets had been emphatic about upgrading at the position, the prices on weak free-agent market at shortstop had them considering going forward with the 24-year old Tejada.

Originally Published: December 2, 2013 at 8:20 PM EST