Pages

10/1/19

Trade Alonso for Betts and Bradley. Keep Thor. Keep Diaz.


I love Pete Alonso.  Loved following him in Binghamton and Las Vegas.  Loved that he got a chance to play all year for the Mets.  Love the charisma, the work ethic.  His at-bats are must-see TV.  The Mets should trade him now.



I know, heresy.  In fairness, I am not the only saying this, MetsPolice has been saying this at least since the All-Star break.  MetsPolice also has suggested trading Jeff McNeil as well.  I am just suggesting selling high on Alonso.

As big a weak spot the bullpen was for the Mets in 2019 so was the defense.  When you have a first baseman playing left field, a second baseman playing right field, a left fielder playing center field, a third baseman playing left field, and a 36-year-old with leg problems playing second base, you may have some trouble catching the ball.

When injuries caused Juan Lagares to start playing every day in 2019, the defense improved, and the Mets started to make their run.

It’s not that the Mets don’t have other options at first base.  It is Dom Smith’s natural position.  At this stage in his career, it may also be the best place to play Robinson Cano (with 4 more years at $24M a year, he is not going anywhere, and he will play).

Also, I am not suggesting the Mets trade Pete Alonso for just anybody.  Pete has 5 more years at club control.  He is one of the games’ (if not the games’) premier power hitters.  He is an extremely valuable commodity.  If the Mets are not blown away by an offer, then you sit tight.

Good teams deal from their strength to fill weaknesses.  If the Mets don’t trade Pete, they need to look at another player I love, Dom Smith. 


However, as Dom has much less value than Pete Alonso, he won’t bring back as much as Pete Alonso. 

The Mets need better defense, especially a center fielder. 

My plan, trade Pete Alonso for Jackie Bradley Jr. and Mookie Betts. 

Both Jackie and Mookie are free agents after next year.  Mookie has already turned down a $200M extension from the Red Sox and Jackie has Scott Boras as an agent. 

I think the Red Sox would be very tempted to give one year of control for each of these players for a player with five years of control.  A right- handed power hitter who would thrive at Fenway Park.

The Mets would be getting two players very motivated to play well next year.  Yes, the Mets would then have to sign these players.  However, I think they might have a better chance after they play for the Mets for a year.

Also, Jackie turns 30 next April and Mookie turns 27 this month.  Having a year under your watch will help you determine how many years you want to give them big bucks.  It will also help that the Yoenis Cespedes contract will expire after 2020 when you will need to pay Mookie and Jackie.

At the same time, I would not trade Thor or Diaz.  Trading players at their low point is just not smart.  I would try to turn them around next year.  It may mean different coaches, or different catchers.  They are worth doing what it takes.  Also, who knows if the ball won’t change again and home runs will no longer impact Edwin Diaz as much.

What do you think?

16 comments:

  1. So essentially both are rentals for 1 year ? Nuts!

    ReplyDelete
  2. You can't do that. The idea of trading Alonso is interesting but not for rentals. I would think one All Star and two top prospects should be the ask.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Alonso and McNeil are potential superstars that cost nothing; exactly what every team wants (and needs nowadays to limit the payroll and still have a chance to win). Plus, they are home-grown favorites.

    I don't think either of them will turn out to be busts, so trading them makes no sense.

    But even if you still wanted to do what you say, the cost of the new players would blowout the Mets payroll. Just from that standpoint alone it's untenable.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Umm hell no! Could be the stupidest thing ever written! Go with the young guys Alonso ,Davis,conforto,Nimmo, McNeil and Rosario and build around that! You keep Thor,Degrom,Matz and Stroman. Get some bullpen help find a 5th starter and Hope Diaz returns to form and Lugo is already a beast. Lugo was closer all year Mets win at least 90 + games this year and we are playing October baseball. Team needs tweaks not stupid overhauls of our young guys. Smh

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sorry, but this is dumb, not happening.

    Even as a thought experiment, it's still not remotely interesting.

    I think you could write a more compelling piece weighing the pros and cons of a possible Syndergaard trade. On one level, you don't trade a guy like Syndergaard, ever. And you sign Wheeler. All good. Ownership just needs to do its job.

    But the Wilpons own the Mets. And they are horrible beyond belief. So you have to wonder about trading a guy like Syndergaard. What do you want back?

    You could also make an argument about trading away Nimmo or Conforto. The crowded outfield. The difficulty have making meaningful change on a team that has so many positions seemingly locked up.

    But Alonso? It's like you are chasing page views.

    Jimmy

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hahahahahaha.

    Look, I know it's the off-season and bloggers need to have something to say, but this sort of obvious click bait is just absurd.

    But even behind that, why on Earth do you thing the Red Sox would agree to it? Can you guarantee they'll even consider it?

    You can pull trades out of your butt all winter, but they're all based on the assumption that the other team is in the business of helping the Mets. News flash: they're not.

    It usually takes a few months before a blogger comes up with the stupidest trade proposal of the off-season. You've managed it in a couple of days.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm guessing you are young. Otherwise this makes literally zero sense.
    1. Trade your biggest attraction who costs you nothing for years under team control, for a guy who is not only a free agent next year but just turned down well over 200 million dollars. Only to add another player who will want ridiculous money next year as well.
    Let's enjoy our youngsters like good teams do for once.
    I want to be the Astros, not the team that just traded it's best player for two rentals.

    ReplyDelete
  8. How about wait a year and THEN go after one of them as a FA?
    Alonso will be the face of the team for years. Don't even THINK of messing with his head.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wow, that is the dumbest trade ever. dont quit your day job.

    ReplyDelete
  10. You could just see the smoke all over the city from fans burning Citi-field to the ground under such a scenario as its just plain crazy.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Also it wouldn't be a bad idea to explore an Acuna like contract going forward.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Was it April 1st or October 1st?

    ReplyDelete
  13. If you want to burn your fan base to the ground, you trade Alonso. You can't. You'd lose a million fans attendance next year - maybe more. This is a fan's game - and as much as the Mets' fans loved David Wright at his best, I believe they love Alonso MORE.

    And LOVE OF TEAM is the core for any organization - especially one that is out-drawn at the box office by 30% or more annually by their cross town rivals.

    If, which is not happening, the Wilpons decided to sell the Mets, Alonso would probably make the franchise worth half a billion more....at least.

    As I wrote the other day, there are also ways Alonso can get BETTER, I think he will find those ways.

    ReplyDelete
  14. It would be a bad idea to trade Alonso for two rentals plus his contract comes with 5 years of control, he can become the face of the franchise.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Still think this was a nuts idea? With Steve Cohen would have wrapped up Mookie Betts and the Mets would have the best player in Baseball. Pete would have been great in Fenway park.

    ReplyDelete