YOUR TRADE THOUGHTS? by Tom Brennan
As Mets' players are dropping like flies due to injuries (hey, Ruggiano made it a game and a half, at least), the Mets made two trades and didn't make 2 others.
I like the Bruce trade. Dilson Herrera may come back to bite us, but hitting only .278 in the PCL this year was not a sign of future superstardom. Lefty Max Wotell may turn out to be great, but at 19, he is likely 3-4 years off.
Niese for Bastardo? I'm OK with that, too. Stick Niese in the pen, he may be better than Bastardo, and maybe Smoker is ready to contribute as a power lefty pen arm. He has been much better in AAA of late. (Hey, and a shout out to Paul Sewald, having another fine year in the pitcher's nightmare named Las Vegas).
But they did not get Lucroy and Jeffers, who could really have turned this Mets team strongly towards playoffs. To get BOTH, the Rangers gave up Messrs. Ortiz and Brinson, ranked #21 and #64 by MLB, and a player to be named later. The Mets could not beat that?
What are your thoughts?
16 comments:
Not happy.
Again they played shorthanded, not disabling Cabrera and short a man in the pen. Why do they do this to themselves again and again and again?
The trades were OK. I think Dilson Herrera's shoulder woes altered his swing and hence the lower output. Once he's completely healthy again he will be the next Brandon Phillips for Cincinnati. A pitcher 3-4 years off and pre-Tommy John (hey, it happens to nearly all of them!) is just a wildcard.
The Niese deal I noticed is being kept hush-hush as to how much money they kicked to the Pirates. I don't like it but it's addition by subtraction.
I get the desire to add a player like bruce (someone in the org has a huge hardon for him as they've been trying to get him for years), but it and he is round peg in a square hole. If the trade had been Nimmmo instead of Herrera i probably would ahve liked it a lot more. bc it would have kept the plan in place. Part of my problem with trading Herrera was he was the reason that they didnt need to sign Murphy, who might win the MVP.
Also Im not sure TC is up to the challenge of figuring out who to play.
As for his disappointing season, Dilson is that employee who has been promised a raise and a promotion but is still waiting and now his work has suffered because he is bored and underpaid now. It seems to be pretty common with guys who have been in the majors and get sent down with nothing left to prove.
I do understand that Cecchini can be shifted to 2b or that flores could play it next year if wright comes back for his 40 games before injury knocks him out.
If the goal is playoffs or bust, theres no reason to finish 3rd in the WC standings with new players vs 4th with the players they had. as i dont think they are now good enough to pass any of the 3 teams in front of them.
Bruce trade is good, over crowding is fine. Better then in the past when running out Captain Kirk and den dekker. The more quality players on a team the more chances you have to win. The waiver wire is gonna be hot, plan accordingly. Blame sandy here for not having a strong international base, completely limits his options during trade time. I think Bruce will have a positive effect on Conforto, Bobby v on the broadcast suggested he implement a little leg kick like Bruce and see him go wild. Really gave up nothing, Herrerra is overrated and Wotell is what he is, a guy 3-5 years away. This team needs to step up and play ball, no reason with the staff they have that they can't play good baseball the rest of the way.
I am still puzzled why, if we were to include d'Arnaud in a Lucroy deal, and any other prospects other than Rosario, why we could not have won the Lucroy/Jeffers auction. d'Arnaud has certainly been disappointing, but if he ever stays healthy, he is a solid enough commodity. Brinson and Ortiz are exactly what they are: prospects, maybe high prospects, but neither was lighting the world on fire this year.
Lucroy and Jeffers would have been a large upgrade. We'd have some team coming down the last 6 weeks if Cespedes and Reyes and Duda and Wheeler got healthy and returned over the next 3 weeks.
Tom/ Reese (I posted this on another article but better on this one),
In term of assets... ( i am all about assets) could you see the Bruce trade as being Herrera and Wotell (who i believe was developing nicely) for Bruce and a 1st rd pick (in the next year in qualifying offer?)
Herrera being called over rated seems to be the sentiment but some guys do not provide instant success and right now he may just be bored as he waits for his turn... I think he had Brandon Phillip potential...
I wish i knew the complete Nimmo trade so we could evaluate that one... Most only review the names they have heard but guys in the Gulf coast league and lower minors sometimes turn out to be major leaguers too...
I really think the key to this year will be Wheeler... If he can provide the similar spark that Matz did last year we have a chance to string wins together... Verritt has been fine in typical 5th starter fashion but we need to win 3 out of 4 games for about a month to really have a shot at winning a wild card spot...
Bruce is under contract for next year -- there is an option to retain him at $13 million or buy him out for $1 million. Free agency with a QO is not in the cards.
Perhaps last year's experience in the Gomez trade did influence the Brewers decision to send Lucroy to the Rangers instead of the Mets
Perhaps last year's experience in the Gomez trade did influence the Brewers decision to send Lucroy to the Rangers instead of the Mets
Good arguments, Robb, but I lean towards what Anthony is saying. If Bruce can help get Conforto on track, it will be a win-win.
Cecchini has only played SS this year and last, but has made a stunning 56 errors in 185 games at SS this year and last (that said, of late, he seems to be not making any errors - only 2 in his last 21 games, a very hopeful sign for either 2B or SS). I am surprised, though, that he has NEVER played 2B as a Mets minor guy, 270 games started in the field, all at SS.
This team has to learn to play Flores 6 days a week. Look at the long balls he hits. Of all the Vegas hitters since the Mets went out there, Wilmer hit better than them all. In 2013 and 2014, he hit .322, 664 at bats, 46 doubles, 31 homers, 143 RBI in Vegas.
So despite the generally inflated Vegas #'s, he (with the benefit of all his MLB at bats to help form an opinion) is the most likely successful hitter they've produced there. Maybe he will be another Jeff Kent after all. Play him daily. Is he perfect? No. But he can hit.
Cabrera could have just gotten injured, but it could have been overuse. Why Flores was not used more to spell Cabrera is a Collins flaw, using guys excessively until they break down or wear out.
Bob: Great point on Gomez - Brewers might still be nursing a grudge against Mets.
Reese I may have miss phrased...
I am already assuming that we will pick up the 13 million option at the end of the season.
So after the 2017 season we can offer the qualifying offer...
Eddie, that is the only move with Bruce that could make sense. $13 million for a guy like him today is relatively cheap.
On the lucroy trade. Based on what the CLE offer was and what they took from the rangers it seems like TDA & Nimmo/Herrera wasnt the way they wanted to go. I think they wanted players further away from MLB service time as they realize that they are probably further away then next year. Its interesting you start looking at how you bottom out vs the capital you expend. If you open the window with guys in Arb year 2, tda after next year it can close if you dont get him signed. it seems that the window is bottom out this year and next for them and begin to win in 2018, which is how they wanted to stagger there players.
Sterns is very smart and shrewd, according to a buddy who knows him from college and mlb and its doubtful he would be pissed at all about the gomez thing.
Also Checcini's errors have primarily come on throws or so ive been led to believe. the throw from second is easier if you dont have the yipps. and if you can play short you can play second. the pivot just takes a second to learn.
Good points, Robb, and I want to reiterate Cecchini's recent uptick in fielding...may it continue. Maybe the Yips are yipped out.
Good points, Robb, and I want to reiterate Cecchini's recent uptick in fielding...may it continue. Maybe the Yips are yipped out.
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