D-Whit - Where Could Bartolo Go? What about Miami?

Colon a Marlin?

Crazy idea? Yes! Impossible? Not At All.

 Ozuna

The Miami Marlins have let it be known they are buyers heading into the trading deadline. They are still feeling the loss of Jose Fernandez and would like to bolster their rotation with a veteran starter. Bartolo could be their man. The Marlins have the kind of young and talented OF bats the Mets seek. One in particular could improve the team’s hitting immediately-no I’m not talking about Giancarlo Stanton (he’s not going anywhere for now)-and that’s LF Marcel Ozuna.

It would be odd for the Mets and Marlins to make an intradivision deal involving two starting players during a pennant race-especially one which could improve your competition. The Marlins though are seeking a starting pitcher who, like Colon, would be under club control. He wouldn’t cost them too much and perhaps more importantly, would provide a veteran presence for the young Marlin staff to learn from and observe. Much like at Citi Field his flyball tendencies wouldn’t hurt him at cavernous Marlins Park.  I’m not sure Sandy Alderson would want his team to face Colon on a regular basis for the next year or so but with the return of Matt Harvey and the expected arrival of Noah Syndegaard adding to what’s already there the Met rotation would be seven deep heading into not counting the veteran Colon.

As for the key piece they’d acquire in return?

Well if it would be Ozuna they’d be acquiring the type of team controlled position player small-market minded teams like New York covet. His 10 HRs and .901 OPS at home shows that his power wouldn’t be sapped by a big stadium like Citi Field. In fact his home numbers are much better than what he does on the road. He strikes out a ton but has a home OBP of .355. so Ozuna seems to excel in large ballparks. 

The 23 year-old is not arbitration eligible until 2016 and can’t file for Free Agency until 2020. Why would the Marlins trade a player like this? Well, for one we’re talking about the Marlins remember? Anything is possible with them plus they also they have highly touted OF prospect Jake Marisnick waiting in the wings. Marisnick, acquired from Toronto in the Jose Reyes deal, has struggled in his MLB appearances but he’s a Top 100 MLB prospect who’s hit 10 HR and has 24 SB at AAA New Orleans. His power will probably fade in the big leagues but there’s nothing wrong with having a Brad Gardner-type atop your line-up. 

 Marisnick

Though of the two Miami is more likely to move Ozuna, if the Marlins offered Marisnick instead as the key player in a Colon deal I wouldn’t say no. New York could use a talent like him leading off for the next several years. There is more risk associated with Marisnick since he’s struggled to show his minor league form so far in the big leagues but at 23 he’s a risk worth taking. 

If the Mets and Miami talked about a Colon deal but the Marlins balked at those two, an intriguing player to consider would be AAA slugger Kyle Jensen. At 26 he’s a few years older than Ozuna and Marisnick but he's widely considered to be one of the Marlin's best power hitting prospects. His .838 OPS and 20 HR in New Orleans this season shows that he has little left to prove in the minors. His big swing leads to a lot of K’s so major league pitchers could expose the holes in his swing and just make him a strike out machine at the plate. Still on a power starved team like New York rolling the dice on Jensen isn’t the worst of ideas. Although if Jensen were to be traded for Colon, the Mets would want a second B+ prospect from the lower minors-maybe a left-handed starting pitcher prospect.    

 Jensen

I think it’s remote possibility that Colon would be dealt to Miami at the trading deadline because if the Marlins were to deal Ozuna it would probably be for a much-younger starter and I doubt they'd deal Marisnick at all. Still, either would be welcome additions. 

As for Jensen, I'd imagine that Alderson is looking for a higher ceiling player in return for Colon but if the offers don't come flooding in for Bartolo and Miami is interested they could do worse than grabbing Jensen and a left-hander from the stable of Miami power pitching arms.