Reese Kaplan -- As They Say, One Man's Trash...

Baseball trades are an interesting phenomenon.  Often they are the matchup of one position of surplus going to fill another team’s position of need (and vice versa).  Sometimes they are trading of experienced players who have health concerns, worn out their welcome or grown too expensive in exchange for prospects (or, during the Sandy Alderson era, suspects). 

Then there’s the less common one in which one team bundles off its headache in the form of a problematic player or simply one with a bad contract in order to obtain another team’s bad contract in the hopes that a change of scenery or a position of need being filled is a better use of the those sunk dollars than continuing to pay someone who no longer fits into your plans. 

The Mets have three examples of bad contracts, all signed just last season.  Anthony Swarzak turned in his far worst performance of his career.  To be fair, he was hampered by injuries most of the time during the 2018 season, but the numbers speak for themselves – 29 games pitched, a 6.15 ERA, 42 baserunners allowed in just 26 IP, 6 HRs and unsightly 1.59 WHIP.  The unbalanced two year deal calls for $8.5 million in 2019.

Jason Vargas’ struggles are well documented, though there were some positive signs in the latter part of the season in August and September.  The bottom line was a 7-9 record with a 5.77 ERA good for a negative WAR of -0.3.  The Mets are on the hook for another $8 million in 2019 and hold an option for 2020. For $8 million or a $2 million buyout.

Perhaps the one that hurt the most was the lost season of Jay Bruce.  He too missed a large chunk of it with foot problems (shades of Yoenis Cespedes), but turned in an awful 9 HRs and 37 RBIs with a .223 AVG.  To be fair he looked better later in the year but as has been his norm, he’s a very streaky type of hitter.  Even with that surge he finished with a negative WAR of -0.4.  The Mets owe him another $28 million split evenly between 2019 and 2020. 

Todd Frazier is apparently a nice guy, good clubhouse presence, and actor extraordinaire (the dive into the stands and coming up with the rubber souvenir baseball).  What he wasn’t much of in 2018 was a professional ballplayer.  His .213 hitting was pretty woeful, and his 18 HRs/59 RBIs were not what was expected of him.  He’s due $9 million in 2019 as well.

Finally there is Juan Lagares, the man of glass, who was signed to a long term deal off his 2014 productive season.  He’s not earned his keep and missed all but 59 ABs of 2018 after a collision with the wall.  He’s due to be a 4^th outfielder and earning $9 million in the final year of his deal in 2019.    

With David Wright retired and Yoenis Cespedes on the shelf for most (if not all) of 2019, that’s still a lot of dead money -- $64.5 million of it.  So the question becomes can you parlay some or all of this dead money into someone else’s bad contracts?  Let’s have a look at some contenders:

Ryan Braun is certainly trending in the wrong direction stat-wise.  The now 34 year old is still due $40 million for two more seasons and a buyout.  The Brewers got 20 HRs and 64 RBIs to go along with a .254 AVG.  The most encouraging sign of his output was that he only struck out 85 times.  Still, that’s a lot of dough for a player who used to be great (albeit aided by a syringe). 

I’ve mentioned reliever Mark Melancon in the past.  He’s coincidentally owed $28 million over the next two years, the exact same money due to Jay Bruce.  The Giants lost Andrew McCutchen and Hunter Pence, so they are in need of outfielders.  Melancon lost his closer duties but had posted consecutive seasons of 51 and 47 saves.  He has a sub 3.00 ERA for his career and even this past season turned in a 3.23.  How would that look in the NY Mets’ disaster show of a bullpen?

Ian Desmond has played outfield and shortstop in his career prior to coming to Colorado where they used him primarily as a first baseman.  He’s 32 this year and provided 22 HRs albeit at a poor .236 average.  He’s due $40 million over the next three years including a buyout of the 4^th year.  He’s a right handed hitter.

King Felix Hernandez of Seattle is due nearly $29 million for one more year and a buyout.  He is definitely not the pitcher he once was but still is better than Jason Vargas.  This past season he provided an 8-14 record with a 5.55 ERA. 

Mark Trumbo is essentially a right handed Jay Bruce.  He’ll hit a ton of home runs when healthy and can play both RF and 1B.  He’s due one more year at $13.5 million. 

A real "take a flyer" kind of deal would be approaching Boston about Cuban centerfielder Rusney Castillo.  He has not done much in brief looks in the majors with an aggregate stat line of .262/7/35 in just over 300 ABs.  He has, however, hit about .300 for his minor league career.  Castillo is due $25 million over the next two years and Boston would probably like to be out from under what they consider a failed foreign investment.  

Anyone look worth pursuing?  I’d go hot and heavy at the Bruce for Melancon deal because you have two left handed outfield slots covered with Brandon Nimmo and Michael Conforto.