Waiver Trading

Pausing from the prospect frenzy of yesterday (I'm super psyched and will right something soon) I wanted to focus on some current Mets who might FURTHER fill out farm systems. The Mets have gotten five players cleared through waivers... NO, nobody snagged Jason Bay... sigh... However, the four OTHER guys that DID make it through are slightly more surprising. Some of them could have been boons to a number of contending teams and now... the Mets are once more free to negotiate deals for them. HOWEVER, Alderson is not interested in salaray relieving deals... except with Bay. We'd trade Bay for the Mets owing someone a PTBNL.

Chris Capuano: Right... so HOW?!? does Chris Capuano NOT get snagged in waivers. Is it his 2011 success as a starter? Is it his earlier success as a left-handed RP? Perhaps he's just so smart that general managers feel threatened. Fact is a team, like the Yankees, will KICK themselves for not making a bid on Chris. As it is, they should probably be on line to make a deal. He can start if they need it, he can relieve if they don't. How many other teams would need a guy like that?

Angel Pagan: Less shock over Pagan. He's had a rough year, has an injury history and makes really dumb decisions. HOWEVER... he's only 30, he's got a cheap Arb elligable contract (Not due a large increase) and would slot into almost any outfield as the #4 outfielder EASILY. A guy with this much speed and a little pop who can play all the outfield positions... WELL. He has Atlanta braves written ALL over him. Then again, perhaps Sandy doesn't want to HAVE to sign a CF for more money than Pagan will get for 2012.

D.J. Carrasco: Say what you will, but the ability to toss innings has value. He doesn't necessarily toss them so well he could be a closer, but he also doesn't kill you. You can also use him almost every day without worrying that his right arm will fall off and he'll need to learn to pitch righty. If you think the contract is a worry, remember that $1 Mil contracts mean little to the top payroll teams in the world. To them it's like they got him for only one month of Alex Rodriguez.

Willie Harris: Waiver trades were MADE for players like Willie Harris. He doesn't hit a ton, but he does come up with some clutch hits. He can play all across the field and do a pretty knock-up job of it. He also has that X-Factor of being a "Role Player" that fits with the mentality of a GM making a run at a ring. They look at Willie and say, "Gee with a slim lead in the 9th I guess I could uses a guy to slide out there instead of Lance Berkman. Someone who might even win me a game by just making a catch at the right time.

Jason Bay: Hands, who would accept a bag of baseballs? My hand is up. Sad reality check, nobody wants to trade valuable baseballs for a $36+ Mil debt. Especially to someone from Canada. If Bay has a good Spring then the Mets might get someone to pull and Alex Rios and absorb his ill-gotten pay-check. It's just not going to happen for 2011.

Wait, but you're the rose-colored glasses guy, this is all depressing. Actually, I am probably overly optimistic about getting a trade done for even the top four guys. Sandy wants prospects and teams can probably get that type of player for that bag of balls I want to trade Bay for. I'm just saying that I'd be on the phone shopping the heck out of these guys.